The Sire
by Donnamour1969
Summary: Seventh ! in my post-"Sonata" series. Mick realizes he had successfully sired another vampire long ago. Inspired by the espisode "Sonata." Chapter 4, rated R for some sexual content. Thanks in advance for the feedback!
1. Chapter 1

If you've ever wondered if vampires dream, well, they do. But my dreams are nothing like when I was human. As a vampire, my dreams are disjointed. Hazy. Vague. It's more like just the suggestion of a dream, and when I wake up, the feelings are there, but there is nothing specific I can put my finger on. I know I've dreamed, but I don't know about what. It's very frustrating, because I used to love to dream, and it's yet another thing that has been taken from me. So it's odd to say that I have a recurring dream; but I think I do. I guess it's more like I wake up with a familiar feeling. But one day, that dream suddenly came into vivid focus, just like when I was human, in vivid color, and with sound. And it scared the hell out of me.

In my dream I am recently turned, and I can't seem to get enough to eat. Coraline only likes fresh blood, so she and I go hunting nearly every night, preying on prostitutes and night watchmen, and anyone else unlucky to be out at night. It is on one of these occasions that I find a longshoreman, passed out at the docks. I notice that someone else has already drawn blood, though by hitting him over the head with something sharp, not by feeding on him. Head wounds bleed. A lot. The blood in the air is irresistible, and I drink from him, but he is already nearly dead before I start in, and I feel his heart rate slowing. In the War, I had to kill to save my country. As a vampire, I didn't want to kill someone just to satisfy my own desires. And I had been a medic in the Army; I still felt the innate need to help.

"Coraline," I say, feeling the poor guy's life slipping away. "He's dying."

She just shrugs. "It happens. Looks like someone else beat us to it anyway. Just drain him, and let's go home. It's almost dawn, and I need my beauty sleep." She yawns delicately into her hand.

"No, wait!" I remembered what Coraline had done to me. How she had changed me. I bite into my own arm, and allow my blood to drip into the man's open mouth. He does not respond. I don't see him swallow.

"Mick," she says in disgust. "What do you think you're doing? He's too far gone. He's not even drinking it. And besides, you're too young of a vampire to even think of siring someone. You can't even take responsibility for yourself yet."

I wait a few minutes, hoping it has worked. Hoping he will open his eyes, and I will know I've saved him. In my dream, I can't make out his face. I know he is a big man, with bulging muscles, with various tattoos on his arms. I notice an unusual tattoo on his chest, which I can see because his bloodstained shirt is unbuttoned part way. _My God_, I think. _He was in the Navy. He had been in the War._

But it doesn't work. He appears to be gone for good.

"It was just too late, Mick," Coraline says. "Sometimes it doesn't work." I know she really doesn't care; she just wants to go home. So we left him there. She pulled me up and dragged me away with her superior strength. "Come on before someone sees us."

My last sight was of him lying there, the early light of dawn suddenly illuminating the tattoo on his now death-gray chest. It was like a mini Pearl Harbor memorial, with the USS Oklahoma, and "1941" emblazoned in bright blue. Then, I wake up.

I know that it wasn't just a dream. It was a memory. I awakened bathed in sweat, despite the coldness of my freezer bed. Beth had asked me once if I had ever turned someone. I couldn't answer her at the time, because I honestly didn't know. I had often wondered about that man, my brother in arms, whose death I had contributed to. Sometimes, I liked to imagine that I had been successful, that he had awakened and begun his new life as a vampire, thankful that he was still on the earth, if not actually alive. But later I realized that that was a selfish wish, so I prayed that he had died peacefully, never to know the horror of being a bloodsucking monster.

The memories came flooding back about that time. How Coraline had laughed at me as I scoured the papers for the next week, looking for the report of a murdered sailor. I constantly had the radio on so I could listen to the local news. But nothing was ever reported. A couple of days after the incident, I had risked returning to the docks, but found nothing, not even any bloodstains. I began to think it was all in my imagination, so I guess it stayed that way for fifty years, in kind of a mental purgatory.

I had somehow forgotten about the tattoo, had pushed it out of my mind along with many other horrible things I'd done after I'd first been turned. But that dream had again brought everything fresh into my mind. And now I knew the awful truth—I had seen that Pearl Harbor tattoo again after that night. It was on the chest of one of my best friends, Daryl Morgan.

There was only one person who would understand my plight—Josef. He too had issues with turning humans to vampires, and we also had pretty complicated personal issues regarding turnings. So, after showering off the cold sweat of the dream, I arrived at Josef's office in the late afternoon. You never know what you might see in Josef's office. Sometimes he was getting a massage, sometimes a private feeding, sometimes he was actually working. So I was not surprised to see him in a portable barber's chair, Bluetooth ear piece in, while his scantily clad barber gave him a trim. Another lovely was giving him a manicure. I had to smile.

"Have you ever heard of a salon?" I asked, taking a seat on a black leather couch in his newly refurbished office.

"Salons don't give me the kind of personal attention I crave, Mick." I noticed the recent bite marks on the barber's neck.

The barber brushed off his neck, and removed the protective cape he'd been wearing. The manicurist finished buffing his final nail, and began packing her things. Josef shooed them away.

"You can come back later to clean up," he said dismissively, but tempered his words with a kiss on the cheek and a pat on the behind for each. They were sizing me up too, and I smiled appreciatively as they left.

"You're such a charmer," I said after they'd gone. He recognized my sarcasm.

Josef got out of the chair, dusting off his shoulders. "Is that coming from the ball or the chain?" He zinged back.

I chuckled. "I'm happily shackled, my friend. Simone might have something to say about your recent activities, on the other hand."

"Mick, Mick, Mick. You're forgetting our understanding. She understands that I won't be giving up my freshies, and that's also my understanding as well. If she's unhappy, she knows where the proverbial door is." I know he was being overly cavalier. While he certainly wanted it both ways, I had a feeling that for Simone, he would give up the freshies if she simply asked. Their version of an open relationship wasn't for me. I was fine with drinking from a bag when Beth didn't feel like donating. He sat in the matching chair across from me. We sat in companionable silence a moment, and I knew Josef was waiting expectantly.

"Something you want to share with the class?" He finally asked.

"There's something I've never told you, Josef. I only mention it now because certain details have recently cleared in my mind."

"Do tell," he encouraged curiously.

"I turned someone once. Successfully. But I didn't realize it until now."

Rarely can you surprise worldly and ancient Josef Kostan. But surprise him I did, this time.  
"Why don't you start from the beginning."

I told him everything about the incident, ending with the dream and the realization that I was sire to Daryl Morgan.

"And he has no idea."

"I don't see how he could," I said. "He was never conscious during the whole process, that I know of. But there has always been a weird connection between us." I laughed humorlessly. "I guess now I know why that was."

"Yeah," said Josef in wonder. "It was always strange that you were both turned in the same year in the same city. To tell you the truth, after hearing Daryl's story, I wondered if old Mrs. Bloodthirsty hadn't changed him too." He was referring, of course, to my ex-wife, Coraline.

"That thought had occurred to me too," I confessed. "But no, I was the irresponsible and selfish one this time."

"Siring is a huge undertaking, meant only for the older and experienced vamp. Coraline should have stopped you, or at least hung around long enough to see if it had taken, then helped you with the poor bastard." I knew he was thinking about Sarah, the woman he'd attempted to turn, but who was still in a coma fifty years later, lost between both worlds. She had never aged but never awakened either. It was a painful thing for him, even now.

"Well, Dad, any advice?" Technically, Josef was my sire, after he had re-turned me. Coraline's vampire "cure" had given me a few days of humanity, but I had begged Josef to turn me back when that was the only way to save Beth. But he definitely didn't like being called "dad."

"Don't call me that," he said absently. I couldn't help grinning at my own old joke. "But aside from you, my luck at turning hasn't been great. I did turn another before Sarah, but he went a little crazy and got himself killed. That was about two-hundred years ago in Italy. But that's a long story. So, after four-hundred years, you can see why I haven't exactly been eager to turn anyone else. Till you, that is. But that, as you know, was an emergency."

"So that rules out Simone," I ventured, although I knew that was a touchy subject.

"Yeah," he replied simply. I let it lay for now.

"So, do I tell Daryl? That's my quandary here."

He thought a moment. "No. What will be gained, Mick? He's gonna be royally pissed, I'm sure. You'll just bring all those bad memories back for him, just to clear your own conscience. You might lose him as a friend. And it is a little hard to believe that you didn't put two and two together until now, ten years after you met again."

He had a point, and it was a good one. But Daryl was a good friend, who had only recently saved my life, and this seemed a pretty crappy way to repay him. But I also didn't like to lie to him. And if I didn't know who my sire was, it would likely drive me crazy. Then again, knowing _who_ my sire was had nearly driven me crazy. It was a catch-twenty-two.

"Do you know who your sire was?" I can't believe I had never asked him that. I guess I thought it was none of my business, that he would have told me if he'd wanted me to know. But I needed some insight here. His answer surprised me.

"No. I was attacked in an alley in Prague, turned, and left on my own. I'm a self-made man in many ways, my friend." A ghost of a smile haunted his lips. "Looking back now, I wouldn't have had it any other way. If you have a sire who's active in your life, you are under his control, answerable to him the rest of your existence. No, while it was hell that first year, I learned to survive on my own. That was the most invaluable lesson of my second life." He looked at me. "Trust me on this, Mick. You did Daryl a favor. You were such a young vampire, that his tutelage would have fallen to Coraline. Now would you have wished that on anyone?"

Well, that was a rhetorical question. I got up to leave. I had a lot to think about. I also wanted to run this by Beth, but I thought I knew what she would say. Maybe that's another reason I'd gone to Josef first.

"Thanks, man," I said, shaking his hand. He surprised me by the extra squeeze. He was not one for showing affection, at least not if a humorous barb wasn't attached.

"Good luck, Mick. I don't envy your dilemma. Let me know what happens." As I walked out the door, I heard his phone ring. His voice rose in immediate consternation at whatever the caller had told him. I smiled at Josef's business style.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a long day. It was eight o'clock, and I'd had to work late for the third night in a row on a case with Ben Talbot. For once it wasn't a murder, or a hurt child or a woman abused. It was string of convenience store robberies, and we'd been working closely with the police. I was exhausted. I walked to my car in the semi-lit darkness, clutching the little can of mace on my key chain, a common habit for a woman living in LA. But I'd never had to actually use it. Then, without any warning, strong hands gripped my arms as I was about to open my car door. Acting on instinct, I shoved my elbow back as hard as I could, making contact with what felt like a brick wall. With the other hand, I simultaneously reached around and sprayed the mace.

"Awwww! Dammit! Beth!" I turned around as the hands dropped from my arms.

"Oh my God. Mick!" His eyes were streaming, but suddenly he was laughing. I pulled out a Kleenex from my purse and started trying to wipe his eyes. I had caught a whiff myself, and could feel my eyes watering too. I was momentarily blinded, and tried to dig in my purse for another tissue.

"I'm sorry," I said, sniffling and wiping. "I told you this would happen someday. Quit sneaking up on me!"

"Okay, you finally got me." He was recovering quickly, still chuckling. "Well, I have to say, that was a first for me. I've been slapped, shot, stabbed, punched and bitten, but never maced."

"Well, you totally deserved that." He was moving in closer to me, pulling me in for a hug. We were both laughing and crying now. He leaned back to look in my teary eyes. He brushed a lock of my hair back from my face, and smiled tenderly, still looking very weepy himself.

"I'm glad you carry that with you. If I weren't a vampire, I would have been totally incapacitated. That stuff is lethal. I'll drive you home; you still look a little blind. Hoisted on your own petard, I guess." He shook his head in amusement, grabbed my hand, and he guided me to his car parked a little ways away from mine.

"Had you been waiting for me?" I asked.

"Yeah. I'd gone by your place but you weren't home yet. I called your cell a couple of times, but it went to voicemail. Since your car was still here, I thought I'd wait for you. They won't let me in after hours."

"Oh. Sorry. I had my phone off because I've been in meetings all day." He opened the car door for me. It was a nice night, so the top of the convertible was down. I wiped at my eyes some more. So much for my mascara.

"Have you eaten?" He asked, after he got in.

"No. We can just drive through somewhere. I'm beat. You could come to my place and watch me eat."

"Sounds good. I've got something I need to talk to you about." Well, that sounded ominous. We drove through my favorite hamburger place, and I broke my diet and even got some fries and a Coke. I could tell the smell was torture to Mick.

"God, I miss a good burger," he said, handing me the bag and Styrofoam cup as we drove away.

"Were you a fries person or an onion rings guy?"

"Fries all the way, baby," he said, stopping in front of my place. He turned to me. "Are you recovered enough to kiss me?"

"Now how could I refuse a request like that," I laughed, unbuckling to slide across the seat. Then he was kissing me, his cool lips warming slightly in contact with mine, his tongue a familiar visitor to my waiting mouth. My hands went as usual to his thick, curly hair, so soft, so sexy. I couldn't believe I was making out with a guy in a convertible in front of my home. It was like every girl's dream as she watched an old "Happy Days" episode. My own personal Fonzie. He felt me smile against his mouth at the thought.

"What are you thinking about? Do my kisses amuse you?" He was smiling his sweetest smile, the one that made my heart turn over.

"Sometimes, when I'm with you, I feel like I'm going back in time, to when things were simpler. I would love to have lived in the forties and fifties with you."

He laughed. "You are way too independent to have been a woman of that time. The reason things were so much simpler then is because women didn't question their place." Now that was offensive. My face must have clearly shown my annoyance. Then I realized he was baiting me when he grinned.

"I rest my case," he said. "No, you are in the right time, Beth. The fifties couldn't have handled a girl like you. And back then, _I _couldn't have handled a girl like you. You would have scared me to death."

"I'll take that as a compliment," I said, moving my lips back over his. A few minutes later, I was breathing heavily, forgetting we were on a public street. Mick came to his senses first, and disengaged my arms from around his neck.

"Hey, your burger's getting cold," he said mock seriously, looking deeply into my eyes.

"You're right," I replied, a little dazed. He laughed and got out to open the car door for me. Once inside, I took my dinner to the coffee table and sat on the couch to eat. It was heavenly. I tried not to let it bother me that he was staring at every bite I took.

"So," I began conversationally. "You have something to tell me?"

He hesitated, and I set down my hamburger. "What is it, Mick?"

His face took on a determined look, and he jumped right in. "You remember a few months ago, you asked if I had ever turned anyone into a vampire?"

"Yeah, I remember."

"Well, I actually didn't know at the time—or at least, I didn't let myself remember…"

"I'm not following you, Mick." He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

"I know. I'm sorry. It's just, well, I had this dream this morning. But it was more like a memory. It reminded me of when it happened. I was just turned myself, and…"

He went on to tell me all about the dock worker and how he'd tried to save him. How Coraline had been her usual bitchy self, and how he only just realized that he had been successful. And that he had sired Daryl Morgan. I was shocked, to say the least. Poor Mick. Poor Daryl.

"My God, Mick. It must have been so hard on him. On you. He was lucky he didn't go crazy and end up dead. Like that abandoned doctor you had to kill."

"Yeah, it _was_ lucky. Despite my negligence, Carrie found him and took him under her wing." He looked up at me, the conflict and pain clear in his beautiful eyes. He stood up, the better to pace nervously.

"Like you said, though, you were a very recent vampire. Just like a child, how could you fully understand the consequences? How could Coraline allow this to happen?"

He laughed once. "That's just what Josef said." I tried not to be jealous that he'd gone to Josef with this first. After all, Josef was a vampire too. Still, it hurt a bit, as immature as it felt to admit that to myself.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I honestly don't know yet. I hoped you might have some insight."

That made me feel a little better. "I think you should tell him, Mick. You are an honest person, and this will eat you up if you don't"

"I'm not _that_ honest, Beth, if you remember. I kept my little secret from you for over twenty years."

"Your heart was in the right place though, and you were actually protecting me. But Daryl doesn't need your protection now. Is it because you're afraid of losing his friendship? Mick, he really cares about you. I mean, look how he came through for you and the guys when you were all kidnapped by the Cleaners. And I bet that wasn't the first time, either. He might be mad at first, but he'll forgive you, I just know it."

He stopped pacing. "You think so? Because Josef said I'd only be doing it to ease my own conscience. That it wouldn't help Daryl to know at all."

"Well, far be it from me to disagree with Josef's opinion, but no matter how it makes you feel, Daryl has a right to know who sired him, don't you think?" He looked at me, his eyes bleak.

"I know you're right. But there's something to what Josef is saying too. I would really just like to leave all this in the past. I wish to God I hadn't remembered!" He clamped a hand on his forehead in consternation. I went over to him and took him in my arms. It seemed like this was yet another symbol of why he hated what he was. I myself threw it all back squarely in Coraline's lap. He could never fully get away from her and the havoc she had wrought in his life—and his death. He held me close a minute, then resolutely stepped back. I could tell he had made a decision.

"I'm going to tell him. It's not going to be pretty, Beth, but I would feel better if you could be with me for moral support."

"Of course," I said, my hand caressing his cheek. "Whatever I can do." I paused a minute, suddenly afraid of the second thoughts I was having. "How do you think he will take it?" I finally asked.

"I have no idea. On second thought, maybe you shouldn't be there. He might react…violently."

I imagined the gentle giant I had met a few times. Aside from the man's physical attributes, he was kind, with a self-deprecating sense of humor. He loved his wife. And I think he loved Mick as a brother.

"I can't imagine that happening. He's so easy-going, for a vampire. You two have similar personalities. I bet he takes it better than you think."

He laughed and kissed my forehead. "Beth, my eternal optimist. Okay, I'll set up a meeting at my place. Please come, but be ready to hide if need be."  
"I'm not worried," I said. He raised one eyebrow at that statement.

"I'll let you get some rest; you look tired. I'll get your car back to you later tonight." I didn't ask how he was going to manage that. "I love you," he said simply. "Thanks for being here." And then he kissed me with a passion that surprised me.

"Thanks for the burger," I told him, as I walked him to the door.

"You're welcome. Oh, and Beth—you might want to bring your mace, just to be on the safe side." We were both smiling as I locked the door behind him.


	3. Chapter 3

It was two days before I could get an evening where Daryl and Carrie were free to come for a visit. I framed it as a "cocktail" party of sorts, and mentioned that Beth would be there. They seemed to be looking forward to it. I was gonna hate to have to disappoint them later. This was really driving me crazy with worry. How do you break it to one of your best friends that you're responsible for their "death?" I guess no one has these problems unless they're a vampire.

Beth was there early, and I had really meant it about the moral support I needed from her. It wouldn't just be Daryl that would be mad; Carrie I know would be furious. I hoped that, even though Beth was human, she might have a calming influence. I know she was helping me to feel calmer. She kissed me consolingly on the cheek, and helped me set out glasses, alcohol, and blood. I always got a kick at how she cringed at the carafe of O neg I pulled out of the fridge.

"It'll be fine, Mick," she told me, wrapping her arms around my waist, laying her warm cheek against my chest. I stroked her soft hair, kissing the top of her sweet-smelling head.

"I hope you're right." Then, the knock came on the door. I could smell them through the door before I saw them on the monitor, standing in the hall. They'd brought a bottle of wine. I swallowed hard, and opened the door. They both smiled as they came in, Daryl shaking my hand, Carrie giving me a hug, and greeting me warmly in my head. Carrie was a telepath. She couldn't read minds, but she could broadcast her thoughts into the minds that she chose. In her previous life, she had been completely mute, and had only been able to communicate through signs. When she became a vampire, she could suddenly talk to people in their minds. I guess for her, this vampire thing might actually be a blessing.

I ushered them in and took the wine, probably overdoing it on the gratitude. Beth looked into my eyes as she took the bottle from me. _Calm down, _she mouthed. They seemed happy to see Beth again too. I went through the motions of asking and fulfilling their drink requests, which killed a little time. I didn't know if I could do this. We all sat down in the living room with our drinks. I should have known they would sense my inner conflict.

_Is something wrong, Mick? _Carrie asked me.

I looked at her beautiful face and hair. She had always reminded me of Snow White, which I'd seen in the movie theatre when it had first come out. Her skin was truly white as snow, but her shiny ebony hair was very long, and this was not a woman who would be afraid of anything. As a matter of fact, I'd seen her look downright scary when she was angry.

"Yes, there's something wrong. Something terrible I have to tell you both. Something that I've done." Beth reached over and gave my hand a squeeze of encouragement. I continued to hold on to it for dear life. "This isn't easy for me to say, and I didn't tell you sooner, because I only recently discovered it myself."

I paused, trying to find the words I'd already rehearsed a million times in my head.

"Just spit it out, Mick," Daryl said, a corner of his mouth lifting, even though he could feel how serious I was.

"Okay. I'll just rip off the bandage, then. Daryl, I was your sire. I found you that day on the docks, already near death because someone else had hit you over the head. I nearly drained you before I could help it, so, to save you, I turned you." There was more to the story, of course, but there it all was in a nutshell. Shock rolled from both of them in waves. Then, I could feel the anger in Daryl, starting out slowly, then building so rapidly that it brought him to his feet. The next thing I knew, he had me by my collar. Did I mention that Daryl is a big guy? Not to mention a very powerful vampire. I watched his fangs emerge, saw his eyes go silver with rage.

"Why the hell did you wait fifty years to tell me this? And why now?"

"I'm sorry Daryl! I didn't know! I would've told you—" Then the pounding commenced. I'd taken a beating before, from vampires who were much stronger and older than me. Then, I had fought back. But this was worse, because I knew I deserved it, and so I just let him punch me to a pulp. If being his punching bag could take away some of his pain and anger, I was a ready volunteer. Over the sounds of his fists, I could hear Beth screaming at Daryl to stop, screaming at Carrie to help. I don't know how long it lasted before Carrie finally managed to pull him off of me. He'd been in a blind rage, and when he stepped unsteadily away from me, he surveyed the damage in shock. Without another word, he grabbed his jacket and walked out of my apartment, Carrie following close behind. She stopped at the door and looked back at us.

_I'm sorry Mick. I'll talk to him. _Then she too was gone. I laid back on the couch in pain. I knew I'd recover physically from this rather quickly, but right then I didn't care. I knew my relationship with Daryl would probably never heal.

I could hear Beth sobbing while she ran to the kitchen for a wet cloth. She was cursing herself for suggesting I tell him. She was cursing Daryl for beating me up. I knew it must be hard for her to understand how men dealt with things, let alone _vampire_ men.

She began the hopeless task of wiping my battered face. It was numb with the swelling, and I knew the only thing that would help would be blood and my freezer. I tried to sit up, and she continued to nurse me.

"Thanks," I murmured. "If I could just have some blood…"

"Of course," she said, getting a glass and filling it full from the carafe. I downed it in a gulp. "More." She brought the whole container, and before she could refill my glass, I grabbed it from her and drained it. I felt better right away. "Well, that wasn't so bad," I said softly. It hurt when I tried to smile though.

Beth wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "I literally thought he was going to kill you," she said shakily.

"Unless he had a sword or a flamethrower on him, there's no way he could have killed me. It hurts like hell, but much less than I deserve."

"You didn't tell him the whole story, though. Maybe he would understand this better if you did. You were a newly changed vampire. I've seen with my own eyes how crazy they can be."

"Maybe when he has time to absorb all this, he'll have some questions for me. Maybe not. I don't have much hope that he'll ever forgive me now, Beth."

"Carrie said she would try to talk to him."

"I won't hold my breath." I laughed then groaned in pain at my mistake. Vampires don't breathe. Beth tried to find an unbruised place on my face to kiss me. She ended up planting a soft kiss on my neck.

"I need to take a shower, then get to my freezer," I said after another minute of her delicate ministrations.

I got up, a little wobbly, and let her help me up the stairs. She helped me off with my clothes, and I got in the shower, letting the cold water bring down my heightened temperature. After about twenty minutes, Beth came to check on me.

"Are you going to be alright?"

"Yeah, I'm going to climb into my freezer for awhile." It was much earlier than I usually went to bed, but I knew that was the only way I was going to heal. Besides, I felt like crap.

"I'll come back in the morning to see how you're doing," she said, her tone brooking no argument.

"Okay. Thank you, Beth. I'm sorry you had to see that."

She opened the shower door a crack, reaching in to touch my back. I turned toward her, grabbing her hand and bringing it to my mouth. "_I'm_ sorry you had to go through it," she told me, her eyes welling up again. "I love you so much, Mick."

"I love you too," I whispered hoarsely. I felt like crying, myself. "I'll see you tomorrow."

I was thankful that I was so weak, because there would have been no other way I could have fallen asleep as quickly as I did. I was grateful also for the oblivion, and that no dreams haunted me.


	4. Chapter 4

I couldn't let this stand the way it was between Mick and Daryl. I had to do something, even if Mick would be mad at me later. It was about midnight, and since Daryl's bar was still open, I took my car and headed that way. I'd been in the Stake and Fang once before, to watch Mick and his friends play in their jazz quartet, and it was an Irish-style pub, with a small-town feel. I parked and went in, and immediately saw Daryl at the bar. He wasn't happy to see me. Carrie emerged from the supply room, carrying a bag of pretzels to refill the bowls on the bars and on the booth tables. They had a mixture of vampire and human clientele, unbeknownst to the humans, of course. Carrie didn't seem too surprised to see me.

_Hi Beth. This is probably not a good time._

I walked over to her. "I know he's mad. Rightly so. But he didn't even listen to Mick's explanation. I know it's none of my business—"

"No, it isn't Beth, with all due respect," said Daryl tightly. He was now standing right next to Carrie. It was disconcerting when vampires moved so quickly without you realizing it. "I frankly don't give a rat's ass about his reasoning. It is a cardinal sin to not take responsibility for your sire. You're welcome to stay for a drink, but this topic is off the table for discussion." His handsome face did not show his usual lighthearted personality.

I looked pleadingly at Carrie. She shook her head. _I'm sorry. I warned you. _

"Carrie, you promised you would talk to him."

Daryl walked back around behind the bar to take someone's order. Carrie looked back at me, and I could tell what she said next in my mind was for me only.

_Meet me at your car in about fifteen minutes. _

I had to try with Daryl one more time. I went to the bar.

"Please, Daryl. Don't let this ruin years of friendship. Mick already hates himself enough for the both of you."

"Good-bye, Beth," he said with finality. I shook my head sadly and went back out to my car. I got inside, locked all the doors, and waited. Exactly fifteen minutes later, Carrie slipped silently up to the passenger side and lightly tapped on the window. I jumped in surprise, even though I'd been expecting her, and unlocked the door. I figured now I'd be pretty safe with a vampire to protect me. Unless…well, she was pretty mad too, I'm sure. She could hear the sudden fearful accelleration of my heartbeat.

She smiled despite herself. _Beth, I'm not going to hurt you. Calm down._

"Sorry. I know you must be upset about this too. And well, we really don't know each other very well…"

_True. But Mick loves you, and in spite of his recent confession, I love Mick too, so I wouldn't want him to feel the pain of losing someone. And Daryl loves him too, Beth. That's why he's so angry. He's been betrayed by one of his best friends. I'm sure you can understand._

"I do, believe me. But I wish you would tell Daryl the whole story for Mick. Mick is on such a guilt trip and took that beating like a martyr, he's too full of self-loathing to try to justify anything right now. You've know him a long time. I think you know, deep in your heart, that there has to be a logical explanation for what he did."

She sighed. Strangely, she didn't make a sound; I heard it clearly in my head. _Okay. Give me the details. No guarantees here, but I guess it might help. And I for one would like to hear it._

"Thank you. Mick had been supressing the identity of the man he found near death on the docks that day. A dream about it triggered his memory of seeing Daryl's Pearl Harbor tattoo on that man's chest long ago. He put two and two together, and it all came back to him. That, plus the coincidence of how they were both turned in the same year. I guess the horror of what he'd done, of what he'd become, caused him to forget all the details until now."

_Alright, I guess I can believe that could happen, though highly improbable—it's possible. Did Mick tell you why he just left him there? Why he didn't take responsibility?_

"Mick said he and Coraline—do you know his ex-wife?" She nodded. "Well, he and Coraline found Daryl already near death from a head wound at the docks. Mick uh, drank from him, but, being so inexperienced as a young vampire, he wasn't able to stop feeding until it was too late. He felt so badly about what he'd done, he decided that to save him, he would turn him. He thought it didn't work. He thought Daryl was dead for sure."

_So he just left him? Didn't dispose of the body? Didn't wait to see for sure?_

"No, and he feels terrible about that. But Coraline convinced him it was a lost cause. She wasn't very responsible herself, and I bet she knew she would have to take this additional new vampire under her wing, so didn't want to bother with poor Daryl. What she did was cruel, Carrie, to both of them."

We both sat in silence a moment, thinking of my words. I was praying strongly that she would believe me, would see Mick's side.

Carrie looked ahead out the windshield, into the blackness of early morning, remembering.

_I found Daryl on the docks that morning, just after dawn. I was on my way home, and the scent of fresh blood attracted me. I smelled vampires too, but I saw no one else but this beautiful, broken man, a new set of bite marks on his neck. I was mad that no one had called the Cleaners, so I was going to take care of it myself. But you've seen Daryl—his perfect face and body seemed to enthrall me. I was pretty sure he was dead, but I had to look at him before I found a phone. I just had to. Then, he opened his eyes. His vampire eyes. And I knew right away what had happened. _

She paused, as if trying to find the right words to continue.

_When he saw me, he was crazed with fear and pain. I saw his head wound, and it began healing at once as his new blood took hold. Then he attacked me. He was so strong! I was able to fight him off, while trying to talk some sense into him at the same time. I told him what he was, and that he needed blood quickly. I got him to come with me, but he was still in shock. I had a freshie I kept on retainer, and when we showed up on his doorstep, he kindly agreed to allow Daryl to feed. I had to pry him off the poor guy before he drained him. I don't think I ever used that freshie again. _

I could see her smile a little at the memory.

_I took him home with me, and he told me he didn't remember who'd bitten him. He just remembered walking home from work, and suddenly being hit over the head. His wallet was missing._

She stopped again and looked right at me. Something monumental seemed to have occurred to her.

_I guess he had no idea Mick had come later and turned him. And there's something you might want to tell Mick about his sweet little ex-wife. Right after I found Daryl, I went to all the vamps I knew in LA, to see if they knew anything about a bite and run down at the docks. Coraline was one of the first I'd asked. I knew her socially, but that bitch was a little too into games for my taste. I saw how she treated humans and vamps alike—like they were her playthings. I didn't know about what she'd done to Mick, how she'd married a human under false pretenses. Anyway, she denied any knowledge of what had happened to Daryl. _

"I knew it!" I interjected. "All roads lead back to Coraline where Mick is concerned! So you see, Mick was just young and ignorant. Coraline took advantage of that and he and Daryl both have paid the price for her selfishness." I reached out and touched Carrie's arm. It was cold but femininely muscular; I could feel the harnessed power there. "Please, Carrie. Tell Daryl Mick's story. I hate to see what it's doing to both of them."

She put her hand over mine. "I'll try, Beth. It may take a while until he's ready to listen, though. Thanks for coming over here." She hesitated. "Is Mick okay?"

"His face was a mess, but he fed and got into the freezer. He assures me he'll heal physically, but I don't know if he's going to ever stop hating himself for what he's done. Unless Daryl forgives him, then maybe he can start to forgive himself."

_Daryl is a proud man. And a moral one. He's accepted that he's a vampire, but has never gotten over the bitterness associated with being turned without his knowledge or permission. I did the best I could for him, and eventually we fell in love. Things are great for us here. He has friends and the bar. He didn't deserve what happened to him. None of us who didn't have a choice deserved it. That's why neither of us has ever turned anyone. I know Mick feels the same way._

"He does. I know he does." I thought of how he wouldn't turn Josh when he was dying. It had taken me awhile to forgive Mick for that. But I know now he was right. Josh would have felt the same way that Daryl did about it. As Mick did about when he was turned by Coraline.

I_'ll do my best, Beth. Just be there for Mick in the meantime. He's going to need you. And I will take care of Daryl, as I always have._

And before I had a chance to thank her or to say goodbye, she was gone. I had done all I could. It was up to Daryl now.

I went by Mick's on my way to work the next morning. I hadn't gotten much sleep, so I fortified myself with half a pot of coffee. I knocked on Mick's apartment door, and looked up into the surveillance camera. No answer. I used the remote key he'd given me and let myself in. The living room was as I'd left it the night before. No sign that Mick had been up. I imagined he'd needed the extra sleep to heal. I moved to straighten the pillows of the couch that had been jostled in the fight. I saw Mick's blood on the couch, and tears sprang to my eyes. What a sad mess this all was. Just then, I looked up to see Mick coming down the stairs. While his wounds of last night were gone, he still looked haggard and weak. His eyes were lifeless, and for once he looked almost looked like he was nearing ninety.

"I hope I didn't wake you," I said when he caught my eye, pausing at the end of the stairway.

"No. But I heard you and came down." I went to him and encased his bare chest in a hug. His blue pajama bottoms hung low at his waist, and his feet were bare. This was one of my favorite looks he had—just getting out of his "bed", his curly hair tousled boyishly, his face a little scruffy since he hadn't yet shaved. Too bad his eyes and demeanor were so bleak. I felt my love for him nearly overwhelm me.

I pulled back to press my palm to his cheek. "You look a lot better today. It amazes me how fast you heal."

"Yeah, well," he said noncommittally. Suddenly, he was kissing me. I was taken totally off guard, but I sensed at once that this was what he really needed from me. He backed me to the nearest wall and pressed me against it. His hands and mouth were seemingly everywhere at once. I'd worn a skirt for work, with no pantyhose, so it was quick work for him to pull my panties down, while I helped him with his pajamas. He lifted me up to meet him. He took me passionately and almost roughly, and I wrapped my legs around him, the excitement building in me until I could barely breathe. I held tightly to his shoulders as he moved within me. Then I felt his fangs at my neck, and though I knew I would pay for this later, I moved my neck to accommodate him. As his fangs sunk in, I shuttered and went over the edge. He drank from me, and soon followed me over with a long moan.

I think I may have blacked out for a minute, what with the passion, the blood loss, and lack of sleep. Next thing I knew, I was on the couch, and felt him readjusting my underwear and skirt. I looked up into his eyes, and while they no longer looked lifeless, I realized the roughness of our intimacy would be just another thing to blame himself about.

"Are you okay?" He asked, slipping my shoes back on. I hadn't even realized they'd come off. I pulled him down on top of me. What the hell—my clothes were already hopelessly wrinkled.

"I'm more than okay, Mick." I brought my lips to his. "That was wonderful. And totally unexpected, I must say." I smiled at him in what I hoped was a sexy manner. I was certainly feeling sexy.

"I'm sorry about that. I just felt this overwhelming need for you." At last, a small smile tugged at his mouth as he surveyed the damage. "Sorry to have taken it out on your dress. I guess you were on your way to work."

Work. Crap. "That was better than a good breakfast to start my day. But, speaking of breakfast…" I reached up to touch his bite gingerly. "You got any Band-Aids?" He grinned sheepishly.

"Yeah. In the bathroom. I still have some left over from when I was human last year." He helped me up, and I was a little dizzy, but I'd be fine. I kissed him again and hastened to go clean up. I was definitely going to be late today.

When I got back to the kitchen, he had a glass of orange juice waiting for me. And a cookie. Just like at the Red Cross. He kept these things on hand for me when I stayed over.

I drank under his watchful eye, and took a bite of the cookie. Chocolate chips for breakfast. I smiled at him to help pave the way for what I had to tell him. "Thanks. Well, in the interest of our pact about not keeping secrets…I have a confession to make." I took another drink of juice to stall a minute. He wasn't going to like this. "I went to see Daryl and Carrie at the bar last night."

"Beth, you shouldn't have done that. Daryl was angrier than I'd ever seen him. He might have taken things out on you."

"He was perfectly civil, but also perfectly stubborn. He didn't want to talk about it." Mick sighed in exasperation.

"Well, what did you expect? I had just dropped a huge bombshell on him. I betrayed him. He's not going to get over this." He moved closer to me and took the glass and the cookie from my hands. He tilted my chin up to insure he had my complete attention. But he really never had to worry about that.

"Look at me, Beth. Stay out of this. If Daryl and I are meant to be friends again, it will happen. If not, I'll just have to accept it and get on with my life." Well, that attitude was certainly better than blaming himself.

"Carrie was a little more forgiving, Mick. I uh…I told her how it happened. How you had tried to save Daryl, and didn't know his turning had even worked."

"Beth—" he growled.

"I know you didn't give me permission to tell anyone, but I couldn't just stand by and watch this ruin both of you. And before you yell at me, there's something else you should know."

Despite his annoyance with me, it was good to see him so animated. I secretly liked it when we argued, if I felt it was something we could recover from, that is. "Carrie told me she had talked to Coraline after she'd found Daryl at the docks. Coraline had denied knowing about him. So you see, this wasn't all your fault, Mick."

"What?" He let it sink in a minute. "That traitorous bitch! My God, how was I so obsessed with her that I couldn't see what she was, even before we got married? That's just the kind of thing she would have done, I've no doubt about it. When I think of what Daryl must have gone through because of her—I wish you would have killed her that time you staked her. Hell, I wish she'd burned in that fire." He turned to face me, his eyes going silver with rage. "If I ever see her again, I swear I'll kill her." He meant it, I was sure.

"Okay, Mick, well it's all out in the open now. Forget about Coraline, and concentrate on getting Daryl to understand this. And you know now, you aren't to blame here."

A little of his anger slipped away. "Beth, I'm still the one who turned him. Even if Coraline had never done anything else to me, I'd still hate her for turning me. I know exactly how Daryl must be feeling. Again, just stay out of it now. You've done all you could, and I appreciate the thought, but there's nothing else we can do." He kissed me on the forehead, then moved to my mouth for a gentle kiss full of forgiveness. If only he could forgive himself.

"Hmmm…" he said, and licked his lips. "You had a lot of coffee this morning, didn't you?"

"I'm sorry," I said, embarrassed. "Do I have coffee breath?"

"No. Coffee blood. I got a good jolt of caffeine from you this morning. Among other things…"And he nuzzled my neck near the Band-Aid.

I laughed. "Glad I could help. But sadly, I must get to work. Ben will be wondering where I am."

"Okay. Go on, then. Can I call you later?"

He escorted me to the door, and I picked up my discarded purse along the way. "I hope you do. I love you. Thank you for the lovely uh, hospitality."

He smiled. "The pleasure was all mine. I love you too, sweetheart. Have a good day." And with one last kiss, I left. But I had the feeling he was using the camera to watch me walk down the hall to the elevator.


	5. Chapter 5

Later that day, I was sitting in my office, expecting an appointment, when the phone rang. It was Daryl, to my great surprise.

"Mick. Have you heard from Carrie?"

"No. Why?" If he didn't want to talk about my siring him, I didn't either.

"Because she's gone, Mick. Right after Beth left the bar last night, she disappeared."

"No message?"

"No. I thought she might have tried to talk to you after what happened uh, last night."

I knew it was hard for him to ask me for anything right now. I could hear the strain in his voice. He was worried about his wife, and I guess he would do anything—even talk to me—to find her.

"Beth talked to her after she left the bar. Did you know that?"

Silence. Then: "No. Any idea what they could have talked about?"

My turn for a pregnant pause. "Yeah. Beth told Carrie the full story about your turning, from my point of view. Carrie did tell Beth something neither of us knew: Carrie had contacted Coraline right after Carrie found you. Coraline denied knowing about you, but I know she did. Coraline was with me when I—when it happened."

"Knowing Carrie, I have a pretty good idea where she's gone. You told us Coraline was taken by her brother, Lance. Likely back to France, is that right?" Lance. I certainly owed him for another time I'd been beaten up. I really should work out more.

"That's my guess. You really think Carrie went after her?"

"Yeah. I do. She's pretty protective of me, though I certainly can take care of myself." A vision of my friend—my _former_ friend, body like a linebacker, flashed in my mind. Yeah, not many vamps would mess with Daryl.

"I've seen how she can be. I'm surprised she wasn't the one to kick my ass last night." I couldn't prevent the smile coming into my voice, although maybe my attempt at humor was a little too soon. By the silence from his end, I guess it was. I missed Daryl's friendship already.

"Can you narrow down the possible locations in France? Lots of territory there."

"I'm sorry. No. But I know someone who might. Josef has known Coraline a long time. I'll call him for you, if you want. But Daryl, Lance is pretty dangerous. Old and powerful. If he has Coraline, Carrie may be walking into something she won't be able to get out of. The same goes for Coraline, herself. If those two met in a fight, I don't know who would walk away."

"Dammit! Carrie tends to go with her gut rather than her head sometimes."

"I know what you mean. I've got a girlfriend just like that." It was so easy to talk to him. So easy to fall into the habit of sharing my thoughts. Pain washed over me anew, and I suddenly couldn't bear it.

"Listen, Daryl, I want to apologize again. Had I known—"

"Let me know what Josef says." He cut me off. "Or, better yet, ask him if he'd call me himself. Uh…thanks." And the phone went silent. It took all my self-control not to throw the phone against the wall. But I'd gotten myself into this mess; I had to accept the consequences. But maybe I could still do something to try to make it up to him. I called Josef.

"Hey, Mick. You're still alive, so you must not have told Daryl your big revelation."

"I told him alright, and I've got the scars to prove it." I didn't mean physically, of course.

"Beat the hell out of you, did he? Can't say I'm surprised. But I will say I told you—"

"Thanks for the support, Josef. Yeah, he wasn't too happy. I guess I can cross him off the Christmas card list. But I didn't call to get a verbal beating from you. I'm calling as a favor to Daryl. It's the least I can do since I'm partly responsible. Carrie's gone missing, and we both think she went after Coraline."

"Coraline? What does Madame Medusa have to do with this?" I took a minute to update him on the recent turn of events.

"So, I'm hoping you know where we can start looking in France."

"Bad idea, Mick. Lance is bad news, as you well know. "

"Well, Carrie is already likely on her way. She's not gonna get out of there on her own. Daryl might at least be able to buy some time if he knew where to look."

The line was quiet a minute. "Okay, against my better judgment, last I heard her family home was in Versailles. That's where I'd start."

"Would you mind calling Daryl and telling him yourself? I got the distinct impression he didn't want to have to talk to me again."

"Sure. I can say good-bye, because that's probably the last time any of us will be talking to him."

"I'm afraid of that myself," I said. "Thanks, Josef."

"I'm running the tab…"he replied, then hung up.

Ten minutes later, Josef called me. "That guy is going on a suicide mission. While it goes against every molecule of self-preservation in my four-hundred-year-old body, I've offered my private jet. And I don't want to hear anything about my developing a conscience, or empathy, or any other touchy-feely crap. Dust off your passport."

"I don't really think he'd want me on a long plane ride with him. But that was nice of you to offer to go with him."

"Mick, get your ass to the airport in an hour. He's more your friend than mine, and this is your chance to get back in his good graces. Save his wife, and you'll be sipping free Scotch at his bar like nothing ever happened. Besides, you're a daddy now. Time to take responsibility for your offspring. Trust me on this. For once."

I sighed. Josef was right so often it scared me. But that was something I'd never admit to him in a million years, because for sure I'd be hearing about it for a million years. "Okay. I'll be there. Don't tell him though, or he might refuse help from both of us."

"Good. See you soon."

I called to cancel my impending appointment. Work sure had been suffering lately. Then, I called Beth to tell her my plans. She was not happy.

"Mick, you don't owe Daryl your life, despite how guilty you feel."

"Yes, Beth, I literally do. I can't just let him go into this by himself. Two days ago, he would have done the same for me. My feelings of friendship haven't changed, even if his have. I just called to let you know I'll be going. I don't know when I'll be back."

"Please, Mick. Be careful. I couldn't stand it if something happened to you."

"I'll be fine," I said, having really no earthly idea if I would be. "Try not to worry. And remember how much I love you. I've got a lot to lose here, so I'll be especially careful."

" I wish I could go with you."

"Don't even think about it." She didn't reply, and I could just hear the wheels turning. "I mean it, Beth."

"Hurry home. I love you, Mick." _Click_. I had a very bad feeling about that abrupt disconnect, but there was nothing I could do about my headstrong blonde. I went to my room to pack and find my passport.

An hour later, I was sitting on Josef's plush private jet, in uncomfortable silence across from Daryl. The jet was up to Josef's usual high standards, specially equipped with built-in freezers, and well-stocked with blood and booze. Josef tried to make light of everything, as usual. Daryl wasn't biting—if you'll pardon the pun.

"So, let's make plans," said Josef brightly.

"We land in Paris, rent a car and head to Versailles," said Daryl. "I should be able to track her once we get there." Daryl, a man on a mission, seemed to be comforting himself with the details. I would do the same, in his shoes. "What should I know about Coraline's brother?"

I guess that was my territory. "He's lethal. Not just because he is old. He can do the unexplainable—like not burn like a vampire does. Part of that is likely from the cure Coraline showed me. I can only guess that when taken over time, you can have both human and vampire qualities at once. When he took Coraline, she mentioned someone else she would have to answer to. Someone she was really afraid of. That's what Carrie is walking into." My comments were met with another awkward silence.

"Well aren't you just a ray of sunshine?" said Josef sarcastically. "On the bright side, Daryl, you have us to help you, rather than going it alone. And I know my way around Paris and Versailles like the back of my hand, so you have nothing to worry about."

"How long since you've been to Paris, Josef?"

"About a hundred years. But how much could it have changed?" Daryl and I groaned aloud at the same time. Any other time, we would have laughed at that. I seriously hated this.

Fortunately, we were interrupted by the captain announcing our departure, instructing us to buckle up. The lift-off was smooth and uneventful, and once airborne, I gladly accepted the glass of blood Josef's scantily clad flight attendant offered me. Daryl and Josef began a game of chess, and I flipped restlessly through a magazine. I don't know why it surprised me when Beth walked out of the cockpit a few minutes later. I don't know how I missed her fragrance, except I assumed I still could smell her from our earlier dalliance. Well, I could certainly smell her now. I looked from her to Josef in extreme annoyance.

"Josef, I'm going to kill you for letting her come with us. Then, I'll kill you again if anything happens to her."

"Now, Mick, don't get your boxers in a bunch. It's a long flight. I figured you wouldn't partake of Felicity here," Josef said, indicating the attendant, "so Beth is certainly the next best thing."

"Gee, thanks Josef. And here I thought you needed my help. I didn't expect to be part of the refreshments." Now Beth was annoyed. Good. Served her right.

I turned to her as she sat down on the couch beside me. "As for you, I distinctly remember telling you you weren't invited. You might have gotten a free trip to Paris, but there's no way in hell I'm letting you get off the plane." She reached out, running a rose-colored fingernail softly just under the collar of my shirt. Josef and Daryl politely turned away. She smiled sexily and leaned in to nibble at my ear. I shivered in automatic anticipation. "I have a long time to try to change your mind," she whispered.

Of course, Josef and Daryl's vamp hearing picked up every word. I saw Josef smirk. Well, I wasn't about to give him a show. I unbuckled my seatbelt and pulled Beth to her feet, then led her purposefully to the restroom, which was much bigger than those in a commercial plane. I let her pick up where we left off on the couch, with Beth trying to convince me. While I didn't give in in that regard, by the time we landed for refueling in New York, well, let's just say all was forgiven.


	6. Chapter 6 Carrie's story

**Note: This is a little back story of my character Carrie. I hope it explains her motivation to go after Coraline.**

I was born Carissa du Noailles, in 1774, in Versailles, France.

My family, the Noailles, and Coraline's had been intertwined long before the storming of the Bastille in 1789. We were both relatives of King Louis XVI, but my family had been allowed to stay in the royal palace of Versailles, while Coraline's had been relegated to a town house in the village. They had always been jealous of that, and of the importance of my grandmother to the Queen.

When the Reign of Terror began, vampires weren't the only ones to meet the guillotine. I watched three generations of women in my family executed for trumped up treason charges. I was young and had caught the attention of Coraline's brother, Lance. He pitied me for my disability, and I'm sure my full bosom made it easier to overlook it. He and his family were not executed, and somehow escaped the critical eye of the people and Robespierre. Lance said he would help me. When he took me into his home, raped me while Coraline laughed, then turned me into a vampire, I wished to God I had been beheaded along with my grandmother, mother, and older sister.

And so I understood fully the horror of having a monster for a sire. I had empathized with Mick, for I knew what Coraline was. But I kept my secret from him and Daryl, for by the time we had met Mick ten years ago, he had said Coraline was dead. I had no knowledge of the "cure" she and her family had used. It explained a lot. It explained how Coraline and her brothers, all vampires, had escaped execution. There had been nothing that could have saved my family.

And so I became what amounted to a servant in their household, where once I was a respected young woman at court. And despite my new-found strength and ability to communicate, Lance was still my sire, and I had to submit to him and his brothers in all ways imaginable. We couldn't stay in one place for long, but travelled and stayed for a time in cities all over Europe. This was my life for 125 years.

When Coraline left for America, in 1919, Lance instructed me to go with her as her maid and companion. But once we got there, her jealousy and disgust compelled her to cast me out, and I was forced to make a life for myself. But I was finally free. I grew stronger despite my initial poverty, and ended up working in the fish market at the docks. It was smelly work, but I had access to ice, and later, a freezer all my own.

When Beth came to me, she finally confirmed for me something I had suspected but could not have proven fifty years before: Coraline had known about Daryl's turning. She had known, and had done nothing. She had let this beautiful man suffer and left him to die, or worse, become a rogue vampire. When I had gone to her, she had lied to my face.

"Caressa, I'm very surprised to see you still in the country, let alone in Los Angeles. Lance will be interested to know your whereabouts." She always knew just what to say to twist the stake.

_You and your bastard brother can both go to hell. But before you go, I have a question to ask you. What do you know about an abandoned turning down at the docks three days ago?_

"Why, I don't know what you mean, cousin." She flipped her cigarette away with a flick of her red-tipped fingernails. She blew smoke in my face, almost as if by accident. "Has he gone rogue?"

_No. I saw to it that he was taken care of. It's funny though. I could have sworn I smelled your scent around him, along with the scent of the vamp who bit him._

She laughed. "You think I would be at the docks? Now why would I be at such a low, nasty place, when I could be here in the hills in my beautiful home?" If you were to look up condescension in the dictionary…

_Well, you don't need to worry about him; he's mine now._

She fixed herself a martini and regarded me as she would a spot on her dress.

"It was nice of you to track me down to let me know. So, cousin, what are you up to these days?"

_None of your damn business. Despite what you and your family have done to me, I'm managing quite well. Stay out of my life, bitch._ I caught her sudden movement out of the corner of my eye. She had pulled her arm back to slap me across the face. I caught her wrist in time, and held it firmly away. She was older than me, but I immediately knew I was stronger. She had lived a life of ease, and it showed.

I laughed. _I'm not a young vamp you can push around anymore Coraline. You'd be well to remember that._ I yanked her arm behind her back and looked deeply into her eyes. I could actually see a touch of fear there. We were both on the verge of changing. _ Stay away from what is mine. You won't be taking anything more from me ever again._

I shoved her away, and was pleased to see her stumble on her two-inch heels. That was the last time I had seen her. Until now. A taxi had dropped me off in front of the brightly lit town house, and I stood a moment in the darkness of early morning, remembering all that I had suffered within those opulent walls. The family still owned it and several were currently in residence, as I had discovered in my research. I had a feeling that if Lance had taken Coraline anywhere, it would be here.

I kept my distance, knowing full well they would sense another vampire outside their home. I would bide my time, and rebuild my arsenal. I missed my weapons I couldn't carry on the plane. I needed blood too after the long flight. It would have to be tomorrow night, I thought in disappointment. But I had waited fifty years; one more day would make no difference.

I walked through the empty streets of Versailles, until I found the inn I was looking for. The owner was a vampire, and I knew I would find blood and a freezer there. I felt a twinge of guilt when I thought that by now Daryl would have found me gone. I would call him when the job was done; any sooner, and wouldn't be able to stop myself from telling him everything, which would compel him to hop the first flight after me. He knew very little of my past, and nothing of my association with Coraline and her family. This knowledge might have led to his death. There was no way I would allow him to be hurt by anyone ever again. That, after all, was why I had come back to France.


	7. Chapter 7

During the eight-hour flight from New York to Paris, the vampires slept. They each had their own little berths, with scaled down freezers just large enough for them to climb inside and lay flat. It was almost fun to hear them each disrobe behind a privacy curtain, each cussing under their breath at the close quarters. I snuck up on Mick—or as much as you can sneak up on a vampire--when he seemed to be about ready for bed, and pulled the curtain back around us. He smiled that sexy smile, while standing there, completely in the buff, and pulled me in for a hot kiss. I knew the other vampires could hear us, but what the hell, they'd be doing the same with their women if they were here.

"I'm never going to get any sleep if you keep attacking me this way," he whispered in my ear.

"I'm sorry. I just can't seem to keep my hands off you." And those very hands roamed a little south, so that he groaned softly.

He allowed it for a moment, then reluctantly grabbed both my hands in one of his. "Good night, Beth," he growled in frustration. "You'd better get some sleep too, while you can. Or before I change my mind."

I thought of the plush couch that would be _my _bed, and yawned in spite of myself. "Oh, okay. Good night then." He kissed me again, then, like a good girl, I went back to the couch.

So, eight hours later, the human captain announced our approach to Paris. I heard a collective round of cussing and moaning at the abruptness of the announcement, and smiled again. Vampires or not—men were men. I'd only gotten a few hours' rest, because I was so wound up by the temerity of what I had done, and what I might witness in Versailles. Mick said I wasn't going, but that was just his fear talking. I could take care of myself, and I'd have three vampires on my side.

The three vampires in question made their way tiredly to the cabin. Daryl seemed to be favoring a shoulder, stretching it and rolling it. It was like watching a Greek god do yoga.

"You gotta make those freezers bigger, Josef," Daryl complained, "I had to sleep on my side with my knees drawn up."

"They were designed for normal sized vampires, not gorillas."

He just grunted in return, kind of like a gorilla. Josef chuckled.

The one female flight attendant, young and pretty, of course, came out to provide nourishment for Josef. Mick and Daryl settled for the bagged variety. I tried not to flinch at the yuck-factor. Okay, maybe a little hypocritical of me, given that I let Mick drink from me, but the unnaturalness of human-looking beings drinking blood—I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing it. And the guys can chuckle under their breaths at my reaction all they want.

"Awww…" said Josef, detaching himself from Felicity. "Thank you, sweetheart. You are delicious." With a last lick to the coagulating wound on her forearm, Josef let her pull herself together and turn to the rest of us.

"May I offer you other gentlemen—or lady—anything else?"

"No, I'm good," said Mick self-consciously, sneaking a peek at my disgusted expression.

"No, thanks." This from Daryl, finishing up his own drink, and handing her his empty glass.

"May I have some water, please?" I asked tightly. She'd brought me a sandwich earlier, chatting away about the sexiness of vampires. Well, I couldn't argue with that.

The captain made the announcement to buckle up and prepare for landing. Once we'd landed, we all began unbuckling, gathering our things. Josef opened a secret sliding panel and began passing out weapons: stakes, guns with silver bullets, small cross bows—things that wouldn't have made it through the x-ray machines for sure. I had grabbed my purse and small overnight bag, when I felt a hand on my arm, stopping me.

"What did I say, Beth," Mick said sternly.

"Oh, Mick," interposed Josef, "let her come. The lady wants to see Paris."

"Josef, this isn't a sightseeing trip."

"What are you, her daddy? She's got the best bodyguards a girl could have. Besides, a human could prove useful."

Mick looked from Josef, to me, then back to Josef, debating. "If anything happens to her, Josef, I swear—"

"Yeah, yeah, limb from limb, I gotcha. Now, let's get going. You're wasting time."

"Fine," Mick finally sighed in acquiescence. He turned to me. "You do what we tell you though. And if we say stay in the car, that means _stay_, or I'll bind and gag you. This isn't a game, Beth." He tempered his words with a tender kiss. "I love you, and if you were to get hurt—"

I held up one hand, boy scout style. "I promise. I'll be on my best behavior." He raised an eyebrow at that, but took my bag for me, and headed toward the door.

I smiled my gratitude at Josef in passing. He grinned back, fully enjoying Mick's annoyance.

It was raining. At first, I thought this would be a good thing, more comfortable for the vampires without the sun out. We stood at the top of the stair platform, surveying the gloomy weather.

"Dammit!" Daryl cursed. "The rain is going to make tracking Carrie more difficult." A long black limo pulled up to where the plane was parked on the tarmac. The driver appeared with an umbrella, escorting first me, then Josef to the car. Mick and Daryl shook their heads in amusement at what they saw as Josef's wimpy behavior, then quickly walked in the rain to join us.

"This isn't exactly a rental car," Mick was saying as he got in, running his hands through his damp hair. "And certainly not in cognito."

"Rescue mission or not, we do it in style." A security man arrived to check and stamp our passports, and we were waved on with a pleasant, French "Av a nice dey."

As we drove through the city, I was disappointed that the Eifel Tower was all but obscured by the low clouds, and general visibility was poor as the rain continued to slap against the windows. Josef had told the driver to head for Versailles, about ten miles west of Paris. Traffic was terrible, but it was a Monday morning. I sat in the deep leather seat by the window, holding Mick's hand and trying without success to see more of Paris than watery lights and nearby cars.

When we reached Versailles, the rain had let up some, and Josef instructed the driver to park near the palace gardens. Mick and Daryl would make a brief foray into the village, to sniff around, I assumed. Josef and I waited in the car. My host poured himself another drink from the built-in bar. He grumbled at the lack of blood, but settled on straight Scotch.

"I'm on LA time," he said to my disapproving expression. I shook my head as he offered one to me.

"Thanks for sticking up for me," I told him after a few quiet minutes had passed. "Mick is very uh, protective."

"Yeah, well, anything to get a rise out of him."

"Why do you do that, Josef? I swear you bug him for your own amusement."

He smiled. "Of course I do. Mick is so serious all the time. And I am much older and wiser. Lots of times, he doesn't know what's good for him, so I've taken it upon myself to provide some…guidance."

I almost snorted at that. "Don't give me that. You don't fool me, Josef Kostan. You are just as protective of him as he is of me."

He considered me a moment, hiding his expression with his raised glass. "Who can resist those puppy dog eyes of his?" He set down his glass. "Look, Mick's main problem is he can't accept who and what he is. This Daryl thing just drives that home for him. I used to feel guilty for what I did because I'm a vampire, but the minute I stopped, I was much happier, believe me. Mick isn't there yet. But I mean him to be. And if sometimes I have to give him a kick in the ass, I'm happy to get my shoes smudged for it."

I pondered his words. I thought about lashing out and telling him how Mick was his own man, how he didn't need a daddy any more than I did. But I knew something that Josef wouldn't admit for a billion dollars: Josef loved Mick. It was as simple as that. Not as a lover, but as a brother, almost as a mentor or father-figure. I reached across to where Josef sat facing me. I took his cool hand in mine, surprising him, I think.

"You're a good friend, Josef. To both of us. And I thank you for it." Then, to _my_ surprise, he brought my hand to his lips in a courtly kiss.

"I'm happy to say Mick finally got it right in the woman department, at least." And that was probably the highest praise I would ever get from him. I smiled warmly into his eyes. It was at that moment that the car door opened again, and Mick's wet head appeared. He eyed our clasped hands, and Josef smirked as he released mine. "Beth and I were just having a heart-to-heart. Any luck with the tracking?"

Mick caught my eye and my innocent smile. I knew I had some explaining to do later. "Yeah, Daryl was able to pick up Carrie's scent. There's a vamp inn down the street. He thinks she's staying there. He's inquiring at the front desk, but neither of us speaks French."

Josef laughed. "Well, hop in, and we'll drive there." He put on his best exaggerated French accent. "Lucky for you, I speak perfect French."

Mick rolled his eyes and got in.


	8. Chapter 8

Note: In this chapter, and possibly others, please pardon my French—literally. (Hopefully I got everything right.)

The Inn at Versailles was a dead end, so to speak. The innkeeper was a vamp, and of course recognized that we were as well. Josef translated for us, and we discovered to our dismay that while Carrie had stayed there the previous night, she had left that morning. She'd said something about the rain making it a good day to explore.

"Carrie," I heard Daryl say in anguish, under his breath. I wish we were still friends. Now, he wouldn't want any commiseration from me. He went back outside to resume tracking her.

Josef got rooms for us for later, just in case.

A thought occurred to me. "Josef, ask the innkeeper where the Noailles family home is." The vamp looked at us then with much suspicion, and a little fear. Josef reached into his pocket, then slipped him about € 5000. The guy was immediately much more forthcoming. We met Daryl outside and told him the news.

Back in the limo, Beth was, to my amazement, sitting and waiting patiently. "See," she said, "I'm being good." I laughed and kissed her cheek. She wiped off the cold rain I'd left on her face. I have to say I was enjoying the weather. I wondered briefly why the hell I stayed in LA.

Daryl stared morosely out the window as Josef relayed the address to the driver. It was just down the street. We were there in minutes and Josef instructed the driver to stop in front of the large white townhome, obviously dated around the eighteenth century.

"Well, shall we go in?" Josef suggested, buttoning up his trench coat. It wasn't for the cold, it was for the Armani suit.

"Just like that?" Daryl asked in disbelief.

"Why not? I find the direct approach sometimes produces much greater results. Besides, I'm a lover, not a fighter, if you'll remember." He smiled for Beth's benefit.

"Lance isn't going to help us. He already hates me," I said.

"But you're family, Mick," Josef replied sarcastically. "From what you've said, the vamp's got an ego. He'll admire our balls, uh, so to speak." Then his eyes narrowed at me. "Do you want us to protect Carrie from Coraline, or Coraline from Carrie?"

Now that was a good question. So far, my motivation for the trip was to keep Carrie from trouble and, by doing so, somehow try to make amends to Daryl for what I'd done to him. I hadn't really considered that Carrie could very likely kill Coraline. Beth was looking at me expectantly as well. I carefully avoided her eyes.

"I guess I don't want either of them to die. Coraline helped me get the cure, Josef. Maybe she can help me find it again. "

Daryl spoke directly to me for the first time that day. "What cure?"

Damn. Well, I'd opened my mouth. I sighed heavily, smoothing back the wet hair that was now dripping in my eyes. "Coraline's family has a temporary cure for vampirism. When she was in LA last, I tried it. It works. And her family will kill to protect what little they have left."

Daryl was floored, to say the least. "You never told me this. What was it like? Were you really human? How long does it last?" He sounded like me when I'd first heard of it.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't want to risk Coraline's family coming after you too. And it was great, Daryl. I could eat real food. I could sleep in a bed. I could walk on the beach in the sunlight." I felt such longing again for that feeling of humanity, that I felt my eyes water. Not a very masculine reaction, I know, but I couldn't help it. "I don't know how long it lasts. It ended, uh, prematurely." I caught Josef's eye, and for once, he looked away. Not a good memory for us. Beth squeezed my hand.

Daryl was quiet a moment, looking back at Coraline's home. "It would be a lot easier if we walked in and they were all human in there." He smiled briefly at the thought.

"Yeah, it would be. But I kinda doubt they would be that stupid. Lance was a vampire last time I saw him, as was Coraline, by the way. They're not going to leave the cure, or themselves, unprotected."

"Well, I still say we go for the civilized approach, "Josef maintained. "We are seriously outnumbered if all seven vamps are at home. But if Carrie _is_ in there, you'll be able to smell her, Daryl. And who knows? We may be able to bargain with them."

"You really think they'll go for this?" Beth asked. "I mean, vampires can be vicious, horrible creatures." The three of us vampires looked at her. She smiled sheepishly. "Present company excluded, of course. But you get my point?" We sat there listening to the soft rain and the soothing swish of the windshield wipers.

Daryl reached for the gun that was in his waistband, and relocated it to his jacket pocket. "We can be vicious and horrible too, Beth. Thanks for the concern, though." He opened the car door. "It's worth a try, Josef. Let's go." Josef nodded and climbed out after him.

I adjusted the silver stake and gun in my own pockets and moved to follow him out.

"Mick?" Beth whispered, holding my arm.

"Stay here, Beth. If we don't come out in a couple of hours, go home to LA. Don't even try to rescue us. Do you hear me?" I could see the tears gathering in her eyes. I knew how she felt. We were walking into a den of at least seven old and powerful vampires. The odds weren't that great. I renewed my silent wish that she hadn't come. I kissed her trembling lips and whispered my love for her. She held on tightly, reluctant to let me go. "Lock the doors," were my last words to her. I placed another gun in her hand and smiled into her eyes, hoping to reassure her. Hoping to reassure myself. Through the tinted window between us, I saw her pull out and then replace the clip in the gun, then load the chamber. That's my girl, I thought proudly. Forcefully, I pushed her out of my mind, and joined Josef and Daryl at the house.

At the top of the stairs to the front door, Josef pulled a cord that rang a bell somewhere inside. We were all sniffing the air, and could register that vamps lived here, but we couldn't tell exactly how many. The odor of decay was strong.

No answer to the first ring.

"Well isn't this anticlimactic," said Josef.

Daryl took his ham-sized fist and banged on the door so that it shuttered on its hinges. That got results. The heavy oak door was abruptly pulled open. We were all looking straight ahead, but our gazes dropped to the tiny woman who had answered. She was perfectly formed, like a little doll dressed as a stereotypical French maid. A not-so-proper French maid, for while her stature was small, not so her other…attributes. Josef grinned from ear-to-ear.

"Well, bonjour to you, little one."

"Bonjour, monsieurs." And she revealed fine white teeth, complete with vampire fangs. I guess she was used to a certain type of visitor. She spoke English, thank God. "May I help you?"

"Are Lance or Coraline at home?" I asked.

She looked up at me with huge brown eyes that exactly matched her hair, which was styled demurely in a bun. "Oui, Monsieur, Master Lance is here. Please come in and wait while I announce you. And you are…?"

"Friends of the family," Josef said. She looked at him consideringly and smiled in a slightly wicked way. Then she nodded and left us.

"I love France," he remarked as he watched her black skirt sway as she went. We looked around the entry way, and the small parlor to the left, which was decorated with the light, finely-detailed furniture of Louis XVI's time. I was no antiques expert, but everything looked original to me, from the golden damask wallpaper to the oriental carpets. It was all perfectly preserved, much like an old vampire. Speaking of which…

"Mick," said Lance as he almost slithered down the stairs to meet us. We were all instantly on guard, trying hard not to incite a fight by any fang-baring. His one solid black eye just added to his general air of menace. "What brings you to fair Versailles? And you've brought friends. Please, come into my parlor."  
Said the spider to the fly, I thought.

"Yes. This is Josef Kostan and Daryl Morgan." No one shook hands. He indicated that we sit on the silk upholstered sofas. We complied, but our hands were in our pockets.

Lance sniffed delicately. "I see you are no longer among the living," he said to me, reminding us both that I had been painfully human when last we'd met. "If that is why you're here, I'm afraid you'll be very disappointed."

"No. We're here to see Coraline."

He gave us a tight smile. "That might be difficult."

"Why?" asked Daryl, always one to get to the heart of the matter. I could tell he had been surreptitiously testing the air for a whiff of Carrie. Lance's evil eye alighted on him.

"She is out," he replied simply, flicking off a piece of lint from his tailored trousers. At that moment, three more vampires joined us. As with Lance, they were tall and thin, with dark hair and eyes. They were each smiling pleasantly, as if happy to find morning callers. I wondered where the other two brothers were.

"Mr. Kostan, Mr. Morgan, and Mick, may I present my brothers, Jules, Jean, and Pierre." They nodded politely and sat gracefully in nearby chairs. I noticed Josef's eyes light up with recognition.

"Jules, long time, no see."

"Kostan," he replied, his accent much heavier than Lance's. "At least a hundred years, I'm guessing. We had some good times, did we not, mon ami?"

"Sure, nothing like wine, women and song. Oh and blood. Lots and lots of blood." He was actually smiling as they reminisced. He caught my annoyed glance, and suddenly became all business again. "I had no idea of your relationship to this family. By that I mean to Mick's ex."

"Aww..Coraline. She does have a penchant for mingling with the ugly Americans." I had to reach out to restrain Daryl after that remark. Jules seemed to ignore our little drama, then he turned to me. "So sorry we didn't send a gift to the wedding. Our invitation must have been lost in the mail."

"The guest list was very small," I replied politely, though my wedding and subsequent wedding night came unbidden to my mind.

Lance became suddenly impatient. "Enough of this! Why are you really here, and what do you want of Coraline?"

I looked at my friends. They both nodded at me imperceptibly.

"We're here to save her." Not exactly the truth, but hopefully an attention-getter. I wasn't disappointed.

"From what?" So Pierre had a voice. The verdict was still out on Jean.

"From her past mistakes finally catching up with her," I said.

"Well, you'll have to be a little more specific," said Lance, calm once again. "Listing them could take all day." He met my eyes pointedly. "And you may not have that much time, brother-in-law." At this point, I felt a fang-baring would be a good thing. My hand tightened on the gun in my jacket pocket.

"Now gentlemen," Josef intervened, "we are here in good faith. We didn't come for a fight. I would have sent someone else for that." I hope they understood irony here in Versailles.

"Then why do you carry weapons?" Jean asked, satisfying my curiosity on his speech capabilities.

"We came prepared for anything," answered Daryl. By his low level of excitement, I'd guess Carrie hadn't been here.

"As I've said, you won't be seeing Coraline or the cure, so you should head back to the US. You're in our territory without permission; you'll have no allies here." Lance was through being polite. We were outnumbered, and this wasn't going well. We'd have to do this thing the hard way.

"Let's go," I said to my friends. I turned to Lance. "But don't say I didn't warn you about Coraline."

"We can take care of our own," said Jules with complete confidence. I didn't doubt him. "Farewell, Josef. Another time, perhaps."

"Count on it, mon ami," Josef replied grimly. The initial nostalgia had apparently worn off.

It took nerves of steel then to turn our backs on Coraline's brothers and let ourselves out of their home. We left unaccosted, but I had the distinct feeling we would meet again. Outside, the rain had picked up again. As we neared the limo, I automatically listened and smelled. I heard no heartbeats within. Pulling out my gun, I grabbed the door handle and prepared for the worst. But I wasn't prepared for this: Beth was gone. And the driver was dead.


	9. Chapter 9

_15 minutes earlier_

So there I was, sitting--and staying, I might add--in the car, like the good girl I was trying to be. I had brought along a guidebook about France that I'd bought on a whim a couple of years ago, when I'd had dreams of going to Europe. Somehow, I hadn't imagined it would finally be under these circumstances. So I was taking the time to read about Versailles, and the huge palace whose gardens I'd only glimpsed through the mist. The palace had seven hundred rooms. Wow. I wondered what the rent would be on a place like that in LA. The driver, a portly Frenchmen named Guy, had slid open the glass partition and pointed out the mini bar and snack options available in the back seat, and made polite accented conversation with me while we waited. He didn't seem worried at all, of course. I, on the other hand, was about to go nuts wondering what was going on with Mick and the others.

I happened to glance up from my book just when someone knocked on the window. Hard. I peered through the tinted windows, couldn't see, so switched off the overhead light. I never thought I would see her again. Coraline. She looked as shocked as I was.

"Beth! Please, let me in! A crazy woman is chasing me!" You've got to be kidding me. Pots and kettles came to mind.

"Well why don't you go in the house?" I asked, pleased with my apparent calm, when my heart was pounding with fright.

"Lance will kill me in there. I'm not supposed to be out. Please! Look, Beth, I'm not a vampire right now. I won't hurt you, I swear."

"You want for me to make her leave?" asked Guy.

"No. It's okay." And I unlocked the door. Well, in hindsight, not exactly my smartest moment. Coraline opened the door and climbed in to sit across from me, dripping wet. She eyed the gun I held in my lap.

"Thanks." She ducked down on the seat. "She's coming, I know it," she whispered.

"Who?" Of course, it must be Carrie.

"I don't know," she said. "Just let me hide here a minute."

"Coraline, why should I protect you, after all the horrible things you've done to me? Not to mention, to Mick." I also mentally added Daryl.

"I've changed, Beth. Being human again changes your mind as well as your body. I have many regrets."

"I regret you didn't die when I stabbed you," I said, anger suddenly overwhelming my fear. I looked out the window, hoping for a glimpse of Carrie, or the guys. If I could keep Coraline here long enough…

"Mick has come for the cure," I lied. "So I'll let you stay until your mystery stalker passes by."

"Thank you." We were both silent a minute. What could we possibly say to one another?

"You know, Beth, we were good friends once."

"Was this before or after you kidnapped me to give Mick a new vampire child?"

"Can't we just get past that now? You're not a child anymore."

"Yeah, well thanks to Mick, I got the chance to grow up. It really must burn you—oops, poor choice of words—that he and I are together now. I'm not normally a big fan of irony, but you gotta admit, this turn of events defines the term." I don't know why, but it gave me great pleasure to see that her mascara was running from the rain, giving her raccoon eyes. But it was even more pleasurable to have this chance to taunt her. Again, hindsight would show that that hadn't been the best idea.

"Mademoiselle," came Guy again from the front seat, "would you like me to get Monsieur Kostan?"

"That won't be necessary," replied Coraline, sitting up.

I watched in a daze as she turned around in her seat, and reached in through the partition with both hands. I heard the sickening crack as she broke Guy's neck.

"I thought you said you were human again," I stammered. I guess in my shock, I'd forgotten about the gun completely.

"I lied," she growled, teeth extended, eyes silver. And then I knew no more.

I smelled inside the limo, looked around it, then off into the distance. No physical sign of her, but I could still smell Beth, her sweetness mixed with the lingering scent of her fear. There was another fragrance too, one that I wanted to forget, one that made me sick smelling it in the same inhalation alongside Beth. Coraline. _Vampire_ Coraline.

"The driver's neck is broken," reported Daryl.

"Coraline," Josef said, obviously having scented her himself.

"Yeah," I concurred. The gun I'd left Beth was on the floor. I knew by the smell that it hadn't been fired. We all got into the limo, then realized we wouldn't be going anywhere at this rate.

"Well, someone's gotta drive," Josef said, smirking a little at our paralysis.

"We should go on foot, the better to track them," I suggested. Although the rain wouldn't make things easy.

"But Mick, I just got this suit back from my tailors."

"Well, then you drive, Josef. Daryl and I will track them and call you when we find them. Make up your mind; we're wasting time, here." I know I was sounding half-crazed. I suppose I was.

"Fine. But you owe me an Armani."

"Run the tab, Josef."

We all pulled the collars up on our jackets, and began tracking as the rain continued to pour. We'd all gotten a big whif of both women inside the limo; now it was like a tag team. I immediately picked up the scent, then lost it. Then Daryl picked it up, lost it, and Josef took over. I'm pretty sure it looked funny to any passersby, as we appeared to be looking for something on the ground, stopping once in awhile to sniff the air, like the human-shaped bloodhounds that we were. The trail sometimes went dead, and mostly, we could only smell Coraline. Decay was easier to smell than a living human, unless said human was bleeding. I was grateful I at least smelled no blood.

Suddenly, Daryl picked up on another scent. "Carrie," he said triumphantly. He had stopped under the wooden canopy of a gazebo, where the rain hadn't washed away her trail. "She sat here," he said excitedly, "taking shelter from the rain, I bet. Carrie hates the rain." We joined him there. There was a straight line of sight from the gazebo to Coraline's family home. Carrie must have sat there, waiting, watching. I looked at Daryl, finally seeing the strain beginning to take its toll. I knew what it was like to feel so helpless. As a matter of fact, I was feeling it right at that moment myself.

"Hey," I said softly to Daryl. "We need to keep moving before their scents disappear."

He looked at me a minute, then nodded once, and we were off again. Twenty minutes later, we realized we were in a large garden. Although it was the middle of the day, the rainclouds made it dark as evening, so the gardens of Versailles Palace were nearly empty of tourists. Looming out of the mist was the collasal palace, u-shaped, opulent, imposing. Louis XVI, the Sun King, had lived there, along with other Louis before him. The gardens themselves were a work of art, acres of beautiful hedges, topiary, flowers, paths, and fountains. We'd tracked Carrie and Coraline here, and my guess was that their trail would lead directly into the palace. The palace was empty of royalty. Now, it was a museum and showplace, open to the public.

I noticed Josef was staring at the palace with a look of fond remembrance.

"You've been here before?" I asked him.

"Once or twice. In the late 1700's. That Marie, she sure knew her way around a boudouir."

"You don't mean…." I began.

"I'm telling you, Mick, when she said 'let them eat cake,' that's not what she _really _meant."

"Let's go in," said Daryl, his momentary excitement at Carrie's scent making way for some good old-fashioned determination. We walked on into the courtyard, then through the doors where a few tourists had wandered in out of the rain. Josef had the Euros, so he paid our way in. It was even more difficult to track two vampires and a human through a room of other wet humans, and we were forced to conclude that either they hadn't come this way, or we just had reached a dead end.

We spent a few valuable minutes going from room to room, and despite our mission, and my intense fear, I couldn't help be in awe of the ornately carved moldings encased in gold, the beautifully painted ceiling murals, and the breathtaking Hall of Mirrors. I was glad the old myth about vampires and mirrors wasn't true. Then again, when I caught sight of the three of us, bedraggled and dripping, I kinda wished I hadn't had to see that.

We were all highly frustrated, especially given the sheer size of the place. If we had to search every room, it would take hours. Josef, aka. Mr. Impatience, had had about enough, and pulled us aside.

"This gives new meaning to the word insanity. Are you guys smelling anything? Cause I'm sure as hell not. I've got a better idea. If things haven't changed that much in all these years, I may know where they could be."

I gestured for him to lead the way. We had passed Marie Antoinette's rooms earlier, and Josef led us back there. This was perhaps the most popular part of the palace, so, despite the bad weather, there was still a crowd gathered there to gawk at the massive canopy bed and make comments in several different languages.

"We need a diversion," Josef said, his voice dropping to vampire levels so that only we could hear.

"One diversion coming up," said Daryl, who moved out of the room. About two seconds later, the fire alarm went off. The tourists in the room looked at each other, began speculating on whether the alarm was for a real emergency, then reluctantly filed out of the room. Daryl swam back through the tide of exiting patrons and joined us back in the queen's bedroom.

Looking around first, Josef went over to the bed, and began gently tapping a nearby wall, starting at about waist level and working up along an invisible vertical line. Suddenly, we heard a small _click_, and a portion of the wall swung gently back. A secret door. It had been completely hidden by the molding and the pattern of the wallpaper. Josef grinned broadly.

"Nice," I commented. "Where does this lead?"

"Outside the palace via several passageways. This is how Marie escaped the angry mob that came to kill her. It's also how I uh, got to know her better."

"We'd better get in there before they realize there's no fire," Daryl said anxiously. We silently agreed and went into the passage, Josef pulling the door behind us until it clicked shut again. It was pitch black, but lucky for us, we had vampire vision. Our vampire smelling kicked in, but we could smell nothing but mustiness and spider webs.

"Now what?" I asked.

"We walk," said Josef. "If they're in the palace, I bet they came in this way. Especially if Coraline had a prisoner with her."

"And I bet Carrie is not far behind," commented Daryl.

Beth. I'd been so busy focusing on what we were doing, that I hadn't allowed myself to dwell on how much danger she could be in. Beth wasn't exactly Coraline's favorite person, for a number of reasons. I wouldn't put it past her to get rid of the competition. Coraline had said she wanted to be human for me, despite the fact that I already had a human in my life.

The passage seemed to be leading down, and we'd been walking a few minutes when we were all assailed with the strong odor of decay. Vampire decay. Instinctively, we all backed up until we couldn't smell it anymore. If we could smell them, they might be smelling us too.

"So they're close," said Daryl. "There's no way we're sneaking up on them. We just have to be prepared, I guess." We began taking weapons out of pockets. We had no idea what we were walking into, but that couldn't be helped. As we continued on, the smell got stronger, and we could hear voices ahead. And, faintly, I could hear the sound of one, gentle heartbeat.


	10. Chapter 10

When I came to, the first thing that penetrated my foggy mind was that I was lying on cold, slightly damp stone. Next, I heard voices—one of which I recognized as Coraline. Then, I felt the tightness of the rope around my hands and feet, and the perfume-like taste of the gag in my mouth. And finally, upon opening my eyes, I saw the dim light from an old oil lantern, illuminating a heavy chair, a bedraggled Coraline, and a dark-eyed man, engaged in an argument. About me.

"Coraline, rare blood-type or not, this human sacrifice will not be restitution enough for what you have done to the family. Now, I will gladly partake of her, but I will let you know when your debt is repaid."

_Partake of me?_

"Please, Henri. What more can I do? I'll leave Versailles. You'll never have to see me again."

The man, Henri, whom I strongly believed was a vampire, turned his black eyes on her. I'd never seen eyes like that—little or no whites were visible. Both eyes seemed totally dilated, like shark eyes. I shivered with more than just the cold.

"Enough! " Then I realized there was another man present, who looked almost like a twin to the first, without the creepy eyes. Coraline flinched and almost cowered at his tone. "You will stay in Versailles until we are done with you. Don't even think about leaving, or we will track you down and detach your pretty head from your body. Is that clear?"

Coraline was clearly frightened of these men. "Oui, Gilles."

Then they focused on me. "Look, Gilles," said Henri happily, "Sleeping Beauty awakes. Bring her to me, Coraline. She makes me very…hungry." I began to struggle against my bonds, though I knew it was fruitless. Coraline came to me and effortlessly brought me to my feet. I stood awkwardly, my bound feet putting me off balance. Plus, I was scared to death. They were going to drain me, I knew it. I was going to die, and I would never see Mick again. He would blame himself for this. What would become of him then? The vampire named Henri sat down in the chair and patted his lap almost flirtatiously.

"Sit, ma petite. It will only hurt for a moment." I fought in vain as Coraline pushed me down on Henri's lap. Gilles came closer, as if awaiting his turn with me. I tried to scream against the gag in my mouth, but Henri ignored me, holding my arm painfully with one hand, the other pulling my neck down closer to the long fangs that had suddenly extended past deep, red lips. He seemed to enjoy my struggles, and I felt his excitement beneath me. I thought I would faint when I felt his fangs puncture my neck. Then, he began to drink.

When I heard Beth's heart begin to accelerate, I began to run. I heard the struggles and the muffled screams, smelled the sudden sweet odor of her blood. Then the corridor took a sudden, sharp turn before abruptly bringing a horrifying scene to light. A vampire was feeding on my Beth. I immediately vamped out in rage, and I must have jumped the last ten feet, for the next thing I remembered, I was knocking over the chair and slamming my fist into the vamp's face. Involuntarily, he detached from her and began trying to right himself. I was vaguely aware of the sound of fighting all around me, and knew Josef and Daryl were engaging the other male vamp and Coraline. I was too busy beating the hell out of the one who had attacked Beth, and I was able to pull out a stake from my pocket and jam it into the bastard's chest.

I looked over at Beth, who had rolled helplessly aside, apparently unconscious. By this time, the two other vamps were staked and still. With one glance, I realized we had found Coraline's other two brothers. I knelt down by Beth, pulling off the silk scarf that had been her gag, using it to staunch the blood that was still flowing from her neck. I brushed the hair from her eyes and whispered her name. I leaned down to kiss her lips softly, the residual fear in me so strong that my eyes watered, but I heard her pulse, shallow but there.

"Beth," I said again, patting her soft cheeks to revive her. She slowly opened her beautiful eyes.

"Mick?" she said weakly. "You found me."

"Yes," I could barely speak. I looked down and began shakily untying the ropes at her hands and feet, then wrapped my arms tightly around her.

"I stayed in the car like I promised," she whispered into my neck.

I chuckled softly, relieved beyond measure that she could make a joke. "I know, sweetheart."

Josef and Daryl came over to us.

"Is she alright?" asked Josef.

"Yeah."

Daryl was trying not to be impatient, given Beth's condition, but I could tell he needed to know about Carrie.

"Sorry, Beth, but did you see Carrie?"

She was recovering quickly, so I thought she likely had fainted more from fear than blood loss. Thank God we'd gotten there in time.

"No, Daryl," she said, her voice much stronger now. "Coraline knocked me out, then I only remembered waking up a few minutes ago. I mean, the first time today."

Daryl went over to Coraline, who lay paralyzed by the silver stake protruding from her chest. He nudged her with his foot. I knew from personal experience that she could still hear and see what was right before her, but she couldn't speak.

"So, you're the infamous Coraline," said Daryl somewhat dangerously. "From what I'd heard of you, I thought you'd have horns and cloven hooves." He took out his gun, loaded with silver bullets, and aimed it at her. "I'm going to remove this stake, and you're gonna tell me where my wife Carrie is, or I'm gonna tear your head off with my bare hands. You got it?" Her eyes, already open, opened wider.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Beth was sitting up on her own, leaning against a wall, so I left her to stand by Coraline. Josef and I were ready to help restrain her if need be. Daryl reached down and pulled out the stake with little compassion. Coraline gasped, then grabbed her chest in relief. She sat up slowly.

"Well?" prompted Josef.

"Whose Carrie?" she said when she could. Daryl raised the stake again. Instinctively, I blocked his hand.

"Carrie Morgan," I said. "You remember when I bit that dockworker when I was first turned? We both thought he was dead at the time, so we left him." I looked briefly, guiltily at Daryl. "Well, Daryl here was that dockworker. My attempt to turn him had worked. Carrie is his wife, and she came here to kill you." Coraline legitimately was trying to remember the incident, I could tell. I had known her long enough to read her, and although I didn't trust most things she said, I could see all this had taken her by surprise.

"Why does she want to kill me? What did I do to this Carrie person?"

"It's not what you did to her, you bitch, it's what you did to me. You left me on the docks to die. You lied to Carrie and said you knew nothing about me. She was left to take responsibility for something you could have prevented, or could have at least guided Mick about." This was the first I had heard Daryl sound remotely understanding of what I had done, of how Coraline shared some of the responsibility, even though I still mainly blamed myself.

I watched a light come on in Coraline's eyes. "You mean Carissa. You're married to Carissa du Noailles. She did come to me, I remember. That was the last time I saw her. Yes, I lied to her, because I hated her. Her family displaced mine in this palace, even though we were cousins. I wasn't about to help her after that."

"Cousins?" Daryl and I said at the same time.

"She didn't tell you." Coraline snickered. "Well, I'm not the only liar around here. You didn't even know her real name."

"That still doesn't excuse what you did to me," said Daryl.

Coraline looked at me, her brown eyes pleading. Years before, that would have meant something to me. "Mick, I swear, I sent the Cleaners out to dispose of the body. They said there was nothing there. What else could I do?"

"You could have told Carrie the truth," I said. "You could have allowed both of us to take responsibility for him. But you couldn't be bothered, could you?"

"Carissa had it well in hand. I already had my own fledgling to teach. I figured everything had worked out for the best." Her eyes grew sharp. "So they must have just found out it was you who turned Carissa's husband. Tell me, Mick, what kept you from telling this man? You seem to be friends. You didn't recognize him?"

She still knew how to get to the heart of things. And rip it out by the roots. "I didn't remember his face," I said softly, "until recently. I'm trying to make amends now." I spared a glance at Daryl, who looked away uncomfortably.

"So you haven't seen Carrie recently?" Daryl asked again.

"No, but I sensed that a vamp has been following me. I had no idea it was Carissa."

We were at an impasse. Coraline didn't have Carrie. The vamps on the floor didn't have Carrie, but they were going to kill Beth. Coraline was still my only chance at the cure, even though she'd been the one who brought Beth to them.

"What do we do about these guys?" Josef asked, eyeing Coraline's brothers.

"If someone frees them, they'll try to hunt us down. I don't like the idea of always looking over my shoulder," reasoned Daryl. Suddenly everyone was looking at me. It was Coraline, however, who offered up the solution.

"Kill them," she said.

Josef shrugged and grabbed the lantern. "My pleasure."


	11. Chapter 11

"Well, you can't kill them with fire," Coraline said, as Josef prepared to douse her brothers with oil. Fully recovered now, she walked over to look at the two staked vamps, and I saw no sympathy at all for their coming fate. Couldn't say I blamed her, but then, she was no prize either.

"What?" said Daryl in disbelief. "How can that be?"

"Years of using the cure," she said. "A side-effect was an eventual immunity to fire. So, anyone got a sword? That way still works." That confirmed my guess about why Lance's hand hadn't burned when he was in LA.

"Try this," said Daryl, removing a small but lethal machete from the scabbard hidden beneath his coat. He tossed it to Josef, who wielded it around in admiration, before deftly decapitating the vamps. I saw Beth cringe and turn away as the heads rolled, but Coraline looked on coldly.

"Thanks," she said to Josef.

"Oh, no problem. Now, tell me why I shouldn't use this little beauty on you." Josef advanced toward her, machete at her throat. Her former coldness evaporated into true fear. It was as if she suddenly remembered that we all hated her.

She looked to me, hoping I could summon up some sympathy for my kidnapping, murderous, betraying ex-wife. "Mick…please…" Everyone looked at me, and Beth's eyes seemed especially heavy. And I couldn't do it. Maybe it was the remembrance of the love I used to feel for her. Maybe it was the glimpse of humanity I'd seen when she'd returned as Morgan. But mostly, it was the feel of the spreading warmth within me right after she'd given me the cure.

"Don't, Josef," I said softly, avoiding Beth's eyes.

"Why, Mick?" he asked, still holding the machete. "The world would be so much better off without this bitch polluting it. She's certainly caused you and Beth no end of trouble. I'd make it quick and relatively painless. Like putting down a dog."

"No!" This from Beth, grasping the wall to help her get to her feet. She shrugged off help from Daryl as she stepped slowly over to face Coraline. "No. She could get the cure for Mick. Or for you guys, for that matter. You know how important this is to him, Josef. Do it for him. For _us_."

I knew Josef would never in a million years go back to being human. He liked himself too much the way he was. Daryl had seemed interested though. Maybe that was something else I could do to make up for turning him.

Josef looked at me and had his answer. He regretfully lowered the machete. "Fine. But next time she kidnaps Beth, don't come running to me, Mick. You're missing a golden opportunity here."

"Maybe," I said. I stood before Coraline, hating both her and myself for my weakness, and unable to completely stop myself from admiring her beauty. So, before I could change my mind, I quickly withdrew a stake from my pocket and shoved it back into her chest, wincing as it seemed to slide in like butter. I held her before she could fall, and laid her gently on the floor. Everyone looked at me in surprise. So much for my promise to kill her next time I saw her.

"This should keep her out of trouble awhile till we can find Carrie. I'll come back for her later and make her take me to the cure." Daryl and Josef nodded in understanding, and Beth slipped her hand in mine. I looked down into her eyes, feeling myself smile hesitantly. She wrapped her arms around me, and I was reminded again how close I came to losing her. "I love you," I whispered, and that covered so many things at once.

Daryl cleared his throat politely. "Sorry to break up this happy reunion, but I'd kinda like to work on my own welcoming party."

"Lead the way," I said to Josef. For Beth's benefit, I grabbed the lantern and we followed Josef back down the dark corridor.

_Carrie_

I had lost Coraline's scent for a while, but picked it up again near the palace where I used to live. Along the way, I caught a whiff of Daryl, Mick, and, I thought, Josef. They were close by. When I picked up Coraline's trail again, I realized with a sinking feeling that Beth was with her. Damn. My so-called rescuers had just made my job much more difficult. I guess I wasn't too surprised that they had found me so quickly, especially since they likely had access to all of Josef's assets.

The rain was both a blessing and a curse. I could stay outside without the damaging sun, but it made tracking more difficult. I looked at my childhood home with mixed emotions. There had been some happy times there, before my family was killed. Before I was raped and turned. It was still beautiful despite all the ugliness that had happened there. I hadn't seen this place in nearly two-hundred years, but all the memories—good and bad—almost overwhelmed me as I stood in cold rain that mixed with my sudden tears.

_No time for that, Carrie,_ I told myself. Resolutely, I headed unerringly toward the secret entrance to the palace. I knew without even her scent that Coraline would enter the palace in this way. And there it still was, behind a thick-grown hedge. I squeezed behind it, uncaring of the scratches from its tiny branches. If one didn't know the entrance was there, it would be almost impossible to find. I had known this palace like the back of my hand, and I paused again at the sharp pain of loss. My sister and I had played in these passageways when we were children, long before she had met her death at the guillotine.

I reached out to press on the door in just the place I remembered, when another scent assailed me. A scent that had haunted my vague nightmares since the night I was turned. Now, the odor of decay was much riper than I remembered, thick with a cloying, French cologne that could not mask the evil and the age. I hesitated. Was I ready to meet my maker? The irony of that thought almost made me laugh hysterically. I unsheathed my machete and reached up to open the door. It swung open inwardly, and it took me a moment for my eyes to adjust. Then, from out of my nightmares, Lance walked from behind a stone pillar to stand in the middle of the corridor.

"Carissa, ma cherie! What a pleasant surprise." And then, he smiled.


	12. Chapter 12 Conclusion

**Author's note**: Remember the scene in _Raiders of the Lost Ark, _when Indy faced the swordsmen and shot him, rather than have a long, drawn-out battle. That's kinda my take on writing action scenes, as this next part clearly illustrates. I hope you don't mind.

_Carrie_

"What brings you home again, Carissa?" asked Lance, as I stood in silent shock. "Nothing to say to me after all of these years?"

My thoughts finally focused enough for me to send them to his mind. _What is there to say? I am here again, as are you. But even after two centuries, you're still relegated to a house in the village. So I guess things haven't changed that much since I've been gone._

He laughed. "I'd almost forgotten the unique experience of communicating with you. It's a very sensual experience, having you in my brain. Almost as sensual as when you had me in your body."

He was advancing on me slowly, and my hand tightened on the handle of the machete I held. In the closeness of the corridor opening, there wasn't enough clearance for me to swing the blade. I continued allowing him to back me up further into the widening passageway. I could tell he was enjoying the hunt, feeling the power of his apparent domination, savoring the thought of using me again.

_What you did to me was totally forgettable, I must say, in light of my husband's prowess. A real man doesn't have to force a woman. But then, you haven't been a real man in…well, ever._

I could feel as well as see his anger, as his face changed from the vaguely creepy to the macabre. He had backed me toward a stone pillar, and he shoved me roughly against it. Had I been mortal, it would have killed me instantly. His hands moved to my breasts, squeezing them cruelly, and I turned my head away from the one black eye that had haunted me these long years. But I was no longer the pampered, weak, disabled girl he had sired. So when my knee came up hard into his groin and the point of the machete suddenly appeared at his throat, I was rewarded with his genuine surprise. He fell back involuntarily, but Lance was a very old, very powerful vampire, and I couldn't let myself forget that, even for a moment.

Now, he was no longer toying with me. Fangs extended, he purposefully moved toward me.

"Be careful, little girl. Seeking vengeance has a way of turning our own swords onto ourselves."

_I'm not here to avenge myself. Meeting you again is just a happy coincidence. No, first, I'm going to kill you, then your spoiled little sister. You've both plagued this world long enough, I'd say. _

He laughed, the personification of pure Evil. "Big words for such a small—"

I wasn't one to draw things out. Daryl sometimes teased me for being almost painfully quick and efficient in most all things. He would have had a good laugh now, as I swung my blade with deadly

accuracy, efficiently removing Lance's vile head from his body. Slowly, I lowered my shaking hand and tried to focus on putting the machete back into its scabbard without stabbing myself. I stared at my decapitated sire, in disbelief of what I had done. Then, for the first time in years, I fell to my knees and cried like the child I used to be.

The four of us continued to move forward through the passageway, Josef taking the lead, then Daryl, then Beth and I, she having to take things easy in her weakened condition. I knew she hated slowing everyone down, so I had offered to carry her. She just gave me her liberated woman expression and plodded on. The passageway was dark and monotonous, but pleasantly cool for us vampires. Beth now wore my jacket for warmth, the sleeves hanging well past her wrists. The corridor was just making a turn when Daryl stopped suddenly, sniffing the air.

"Carrie!" He exclaimed, and brushed past Josef in a dead run. Josef, with more energy than I'd seen him use in some time, took off after him. I looked down at Beth, and she shrugged. "Go!" she cried. I gave her the lantern. Then, I followed my friends.

We didn't have far to run. The sight that greeted me overwhelmed me with relief. Daryl and Carrie were both kneeling on the floor in a passionate embrace, and Josef was gingerly toeing the headless body of Coraline's brother, Lance. I went to stand beside him. The sickly sweet odor of old vampire blood filled the air.

"Well, that's three down, three more to go," said Josef dryly.

We looked back at Daryl and Carrie. He was gently wiping away her tears. I'd never seen Carrie cry, but if anything, it made her even more beautiful. I wondered why killing Lance would move anyone to tears; he had been a ruthless bastard. Her thoughts must have been singularly directed to Daryl and he drew back "listening" a moment, then took her in his arms again.

The scene was suddenly bathed in warm lamp light, and Beth stopped before us, taking everything in. She joined me and I took her hand.

"Thank God," she whispered looking at the reunited couple. I brought her hand to my lips.

"Yes," I agreed.

"I hate to break this up," said Josef, "but I'd wholeheartedly like to get the hell out of Dodge—I mean, Versailles. The rest of the Brady Bunch might be arriving soon, and I'd love a drink before that happens."

Daryl and Carrie got to their feet. _Thank you all for coming. But you didn't have to do that. I can take care of myself._

"I can see that," I said, indicating Lance's corpse.

_I've only just begun. Next on my list is Coraline._

All eyes focused on me. This would be tricky. "She's staked and waiting down the passageway," I said carefully. "I'll head back and get her."

Carrie moved to follow me, but Daryl held her back. "This isn't your fight, love," he said to his wife. "It's mine. And I'm giving it up."

_What? Why? After she left you to die. After she took no responsibility—_

His big hands seemed to swallow her shoulders. "I'm glad it turned out the way it did, aren't you? If Coraline had taken me in, I never would have met you. I would have had to contend with her selfishness and her mind games. Would you have wanted that for me?" He paused and looked at me with new sympathy. "Would you have wanted that for anyone?"

She looked at me, and I saw pity there. True, I used to be a pitiful case, before I'd gotten away from the train wreck that was Coraline. I hope I was beyond pitiful now, I thought wryly.

_Well why didn't you kill her, Mick? If anyone deserves the honor of beheading that bitch, it certainly goes to you. _

I tried to tell myself my recent actions were entirely selfish, but if I were being totally honest, I knew I'd kept her alive for more reasons than just the cure. "There's something valuable I want from her," I said, which was true at least. "I need her alive to get it."

I could tell she didn't understand, and I didn't blame her. But that cure meant I could have a semi-normal life with Beth. Carrie and Daryl would have each other forever. The idea of the long, lonely years ahead after Beth died of old age loomed in my mind daily. Time was passing, and I wanted to be a part of it, not above it.

"Daryl can explain it to you while I go get her."

"I'll go with you," said Josef. I nodded gratefully.

"Wait here, Beth," I said meaningfully.

She held up her palm. "Don't worry, I'll be right here." I smiled and kissed her cheek, and Josef and I went back into the darkness.

I guess I shouldn't have been surprised that Coraline was gone. We were definitely in the right place. There was the chair, and the two dead vamps lay as we left them. It was a little hard to detect over recently spilled vamp blood, but we both caught the scent of an additional ancient presence. Another of Coraline's countless brothers.

"No Viking funeral for these guys, I guess," said Josef. "What now, Mick?" It was another sign of Josef's loyalty to me that he was allowing me to direct our path. He'd spared Coraline for me, and hadn't even said _I told you so_ this time.

"We go home. I can't risk losing Beth in this family feud."

He pulled out his phone and called his jet pilot, directing him to be ready for us, plus one more. As we walked back to the others, Josef threw a companionable arm around my shoulders.

"You know what, Mick, I hate to say I told—" So much for loyal friendships.

"Then, don't, Josef." I shrugged his arm off and walked ahead alone, annoyed at his low chuckling.

The five of us sat again in the nearby gazebo out of the rain, waiting patiently for the new limo to arrive that Josef had called—from a different service. As for the dead driver in the other car, Josef called the inn and the vampire innkeeper directed him to the local French cleaner. That business taken care of, Josef went to stand beneath a tree, smoking a Cuban cigar and staring back at the palace, lost in thought. We all realized another vamp was in our midst at the same time he stepped from behind a large hedge and stood before Josef. Coraline's brother, Jules. We gripped our respective weapons.

"Josef," said Jules amiably, "I see you are enjoying your visit to Versailles."

Josef smirked, calmly blowing a smoke ring. "Yes, although not everyone has been so welcoming. This is doing nothing to help French-American relations."

Jules laughed, his dark eyes dancing. "Oui. But you have done me a favor, mon ami. I never thought to attain the level of head of the family. The fourth son usually has little hope of rising that high. I've waited three hundred years for this, so for that, I thank you."

"So, can we leave here in peace? I assume you found your lovely sister."

"Oui to both. And I guarantee she won't trouble you again. Lance and Henri were far too indulgent of her. And next time you are in Paris, I hope you will look me up. There is still a great supply here of wine, women, etcetera, etcetera…"

He looked over at Carrie, tension emanating from her every pore. "Carissa, it is truly good to see you again. No hard feelings, I assure you. I must say I never liked the way you were treated. If you should choose to return here, I promise to make it up to you."

_I hope I never see you or your family again. No hard feelings, of course._

He smiled warmly, for an old, evil vampire. "Of course. I'll bid you all adieu, and bon voyage." He nodded to all of us, then disappeared back into the foliage.

We all looked at each other in surprise. Carrie turned to Daryl, embracing him in obvious relief.

"Maybe there is something to your 'civilized approach' theory," I said to Josef, joining him under the tree. He reached into his inside coat pocket and offered me a cigar, which I took gratefully, clipping the end with his cigar cutter and lighting it with his proffered engraved lighter. We stood there, two civilized vampires enjoying a smoke.

"It still might have been fun to kick his ass," replied Josef. A thought suddenly occurred to him. "Hey, I think Jules owed me money. Or maybe I owed him. Hmmm…now I remember why I left Paris. It was quite civilized of him not to mention that."

I looked over to find Daryl standing beside us. Josef handed him a cigar too, and I watched as Daryl used the lethal dagger from his pocket to cut one end, then light it with his own lighter. I smiled at his resourcefulness.

"I just want to thank you guys for coming with me." He laughed ruefully. "Although, as you can tell, she really didn't need us much."

We all looked to where the women were softly talking in the gazebo, or, rather, Beth was talking and pausing to listen periodically. They were the picture of two extremes: Beth, blonde and all-American, Carrie, dark and exotically beautiful. There was the unspoken agreement that we all would die for either one of them. And we had come close to that on more than one occasion.

"She certainly is no shrinking violet," said Josef, smiling fondly. "You lucked out in the wife department, Morgan. Why, if I were to find a woman of that caliber--"

"You'd what, Josef?" I asked.

"I'd take her right out to dinner," he finished happily. Daryl and I shared a laugh, puffing at our cigars. Daryl looked down at his feet, as if preparing himself, then looked directly into my eyes.

"Mick, I've been doing some thinking. I get that you tried to save my life by turning me. You were too new a vampire to realize what you were doing, and couldn't have known that that wouldn't have been what I wanted."

"I'm sorry Daryl, I didn't mean--"

"No, let me finish. It's like I said to Carrie--things worked out like they were supposed to. Had Coraline instructed me, I would have been a totally different person. A totally different kind of vampire. I wouldn't have Carrie in my life. You and I would have had a completely different relationship, maybe one based on resentment, or more of a sire-son relationship. That wouldn't have been cool. It would have been hell having to do your bidding all the time," he finished wryly.

I smiled at the thought of Daryl as my minion. "I don't know. It might have been cool for me."

"Well, what I'm trying to say, Mick, is that I'd like to try to put this behind us. It might not come easily, or all at once, but I'd like to try."

I couldn't believe he was forgiving me. I felt my eyes water a little, and had to look away, blinking rapidly. He reached out his huge hand to me then, and I took it, gripping it with all my strength, a ritual we had always had. He squeezed back with a power that nearly brought me to my knees. As usual, it was painfully clear who was stronger.

"Okay, I give," I grunted.

He let go with a laugh. "Nice try, though."

I was saved further humiliation by the arrival of the limo. We helped the ladies in, joined them, then sped off back toward the Paris airport. I sank back into the comfortable leather seat, holding Beth's warm hand in mine, feeling happier than I had in days.

As we lifted off, I saw Beth looking longingly out the window at the sight of the distant Eifel Tower, still half-shrouded in mist and fog.

"So much for my grand trip to Paris," she muttered to herself.

"We'll come back some day, under much more romantic circumstances," I promised.

"Really?" her mood brightened. "Because there's so much I'd love to see and do in Paris. With you."

"Hmmm…anything we could get started on now?" I asked, nuzzling her neck, feeling her pulse quicken at my touch. "You know, the French have a certain way of kissing that reminds me of Paris every time."

"Oh?" she asked in mock-innocence. "You mean, like having a mini trip to Paris whenever we want? Do tell."

"Actually, it's better if I _show_." My mouth came down on hers, and our tongues danced a familiar tango. Knowing we likely had an audience, I reluctantly pulled away after a few blissful minutes.

"By the way," I ventured, remembering a recent thought. "What were you and Josef talking about when I caught you holding hands in the limo?"

I watched suspiciously as she blushed. "Can't a girl have any secrets?"

"Not where Josef is concerned. Did he try something?"

She laughed. "Of course not! He's your friend. Actually, that's really what we talked about. How much he values your friendship." I didn't completely believe that, but I'd let her have her fun. I looked over at the vamp in question, who was having a chess rematch with Daryl. His ears had perked up when he'd heard his name, and I had no doubt he'd been eavesdropping on our conversation. He caught my eye and smiled his Grinchy smile, loving that he'd again managed to get under my skin. Daryl also seemed to be enjoying my display of jealousy and discomfort. I guess that's what friends were for, I thought gladly.

_One Month Later_

It was nine in the morning, and I lay in my bed beside a deeply sleeping Beth. Visions of the passionate night we'd spent flashed in my mind, and I looked sheepishly at the newest bite mark I'd left her, this time near her right breast. I was about to get up to stumble off to my freezer, when I heard the doorbell ring. Beth didn't even stir.

I pulled on my jeans and hastily made my way downstairs, tugging my t-shirt over my head as I went. A glance at the monitor showed it was a delivery man, carrying a small, brown box. I opened the door.

"Mick St. John?" he inquired.

"Yeah."

"Sign here please." I signed the digital notepad and reached in my pocket for a tip. He handed me the box, wishing me a nice day as he left.

There was no return address on the package, and my own was written in a familiar, flowery script. My suspicions were confirmed when I tore open the outer paper and a handwritten note fell out.

_Dear Mick,_

_I believe I owe you a life. _

_Coraline_

The package was composed of a smaller box within a slightly larger one. There was a lot of packing material and bubble wrap around the smaller box, and I tried to be patient and carefully remove it. The smaller box was metallic, with a sliding lid. I'd seen it before, and my mind quickened in anticipation. I slid open the lid and looked inside at a red, gelatinous compound that I'd seen only once before. The cure. Coraline had sent me the cure. I sat on my couch, stunned at the gesture. This might be all she had left of it. Why had she given it to me?

I looked again at the note. That simple statement meant so many things. She felt remorse. She was trying to make up for turning me. And she was letting me go. She had sired me, but she was admitting at last that my life no longer belonged to her. Maybe now I could finally let her go, too.

I carefully shut the lid of the box, feeling its soft weight. I literally held my life in my hand. What Daryl had said to me a month before in France flashed in my mind. _Things had worked out like they'd supposed to. _ Despite the pain Coraline had caused me, had it not been for her, I never would have met Beth. I would be an old man now, much too old for a woman like Beth. I might even be dead by now--completely dead, I mean. Mortally dead. This cure might not stop me from living forever, but I would feel human as long as the cure held out. I could be human for Beth.

A million new visions of my future came to my mind. Would I be able to father a child with Beth? Would I appear to grow older? Could I still eat an entire Thanksgiving dinner? My God! The possibilities. The uncertainty of it all. Kind of like being human. The joy of it threatened to overwhelm me, and I thought of my Beth, peacefully slumbering upstairs. I couldn't wait to start this new life with her.

I closed my hand tightly around the little box, and the irony of it all struck me. Coraline had sired me. I had sired Daryl. Now, with the cure, I would be the sire of myself.

THE END

**P.S.** This is likely the last _Moonlight _story I will write, unless I get a wild inspiration sometime. I'd like to thank all of you for taking the time to read my stories, and most of all, for telling me what you thought. Some day, when I'm a rich and famous author, I will remember all the encouragement you gave me. I'll continue to read all your stories because I will always love Mick, Beth, Josef, and the others, but for now, I must pass the torch to you. Thanks again! Donna


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